A Routine Expedition
by Master Kusojs
Summary: ...that is anything but. Follow Ethan, an alchemic medicine-maker, and his girls as he tries to keep food on the table and wood on the fire. Pokegirl story. Some violence, some sex, mostly just whatever I want. Please read and review!
1. The Village

Disclaimer:

I'm not quite sure who to credit for the creation of the Pokegirl universe(s). I just thought it'd be a fun place to play around for a while.

As this is the pokegirls universe (one of them, anyway) there will be adult situations and themes. If you cannot handle that, either by lack of maturity or being a fussy little prude, I suggest you turn back now.

No profit is being made from this work of fiction. All characters unless otherwise indicated are property of the author. Any resemblance to real persons living or dead is coincidental and rather creepy.

I wanted to do a fairly light-hearted series, with a type of Tamer that hopefully isn't too worn-out, but none of the canon Leagues really fit what I needed. As such, consider this AU in an as-yet undisclosed moderate League. Updates will be sporadic at best. That said, here's Chapter One.

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><p><strong>A Routine Expedition<strong>

**Chapter One: The Village**

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><p>The sun was already well on its way up from the eastern horizon when Brandy stirred into waking. A sliver of warm morning light cut into the room through a gap in the heavy blackout curtains, where it splashed across the wide, rumpled bed that was the centerpiece of the room. Brandy's long, fur-covered ears twitched at the sounds of the birdsong outside, and the two other girls snoring lightly beside her. She sat up and stretched, the worn, comfortable blanket falling off her thin frame. Her soft, rich brown fur was ruffled, her short hair riddled with cowlicks.<p>

"Girls," a voice said from outside the room. The voice's owner knocked on the door. "Breakfast is ready."

"Okay, Master," Brandy said. She pulled on a long t-shirt and shook the other two girls. "Rose, Emma, wake up. Food." The two other lumps burst from under the covers and barreled through the door. Brandy hurried after them, nearly tripping over herself as she raced for the small kitchen and adjoined dining room. Rose and Emma had already taken seats at the table. Emma bounced in her chair excitedly, her blond-furred breasts bouncing with her. The rest of her body, aside from her stomach, neck, and inner thighs, was covered in soft, tiger-striped fur. To her right was Rose, a tall, statuesque woman with long, fiery red hair tied into a ponytaur tail. Her generous bosom stood proudly from her chest, pushing out the robe she had tied on. Brandy helped the other person in the kitchen carry four plates heaped with food to the table.

"Eat up," Ethan said as he placed plates in front of Rose and Emma. He was average in height, if rather broad in build, with straight black hair that fell to his shoulders and contrasted his pale skin. His eyes were hidden by a pair of dark goggles, and his clothes while well-worn were well-made and comfortable. He continued talking as he tucked into his meal. "We've got a busy day today. Rose, Emma, you two are making deliveries today. Brandy and I'll have the list for you once you're prettied up."

"Yes, Master." They finished eating in silence. Rose cleared the table while Emma darted down to the bathroom to take a hot bath. Brandy followed Ethan out of the small one-story cabin and took a moment to look around. Their home was built at the top of a large hill, with lush grass all around it. The roof was lined with solar panels that provided for their modest electric demands, while large windows let in plenty of natural sunlight. Inside was only the center room, which they used as kitchen, dining room, and a place to relax; the bathroom, where Brandy knew Rose and Emma were getting each other clean in the bathtub big enough to hold four; and the bedroom, dominated by a huge, soft, very comfortable bed. Brandy grinned to herself as she fondly remembered many fun nights, filled with moans and purrs and soft flesh and hard bits. Near the house was a hand pump for the well from which they pumped most of their water. A dirt road wound its way through the lower hills to a small village, made up of a handful of wooden buildings lining the wide Road. The River glistened on the far side of the Village, and further on, flatlands and a dense forest stretched into the horizon.

"You coming, Brandy?" Ethan called, and the young Eva hurried after him. They followed the small dirt path from the front door of the house, through their small garden, to a cinderblock building with a few small windows at the top of the wall and a single steel door with a half-dozen locks. Ethan quickly unlocked them and led the way inside the building.

The walls were lined with cabinets and countertops, with racks full of glassware hanging to dry. Next to the door was an expansive bookshelf, crammed with books (some even stacked haphazardly on top of the rows) of every size and style imaginable: modern spiral notebooks, ruffled with age; ancient leather-bound tomes, musty and yellow; even, on the top shelf, a series of leather journals with dates printed on them, arranged in order for nearly ten years. The far wall was covered completely by shelves filled with hundreds of jars and bottles: small glass tubes filled with amber liquid, round flasks with glittery purple powder, huge hermetically-sealed drums with illegible labels on their sides. Ethan was already circling the island table in the middle of the room and shrugging on a stained lab coat. He quickly examined several apparati that looked like wire and glass tubing sculptures made by a blind man before going to the back wall and pulling down several jars and bottles.

Brandy followed him in and pulled on her own labcoat. She pulled a clipboard from beside the door and flipped through the papers on it.

"The Parkinsons doubled their order from last time," she said. Ethan pulled another jar of a violet, oily liquid. Brandy opened a cabinet and removed several cardboard boxes and a roll of wrapping paper.

"I was right about their daughter and Threshold, then," Ethan said. He and Brandy worked to pack the boxes for the orders. After half an hour, a dozen paper-wrapped boxes were labeled and stacked next to the door with a clipboard leaned against it.

"Any others?" Ethan asked.

"That's all for today, Master," Brandy answered. They washed up and went back to the main house, where Rose and Emma were just coming out of the bathroom freshly washed and brushed. They were both dressed in navy halters and black skirts, with plain leather collars clasped about their necks. Ethan tapped a tiny button on the small electronic pad that served as a lock and the collars made happy little beeps.

"We're ready," Rose said. Emma bounced behind her, nodding excitedly.

"Good girls." Ethan patted both of their heads and led them to the laboratory. Rose stood outside and shifted forms, her long, smooth human legs replaced by a powerful horse's body with reddish fur. She took a saddle from a cabinet beside the door and, with a minor feat of flexibility laid it on her back. Emma jumped forward and adjusted it, tightening straps under Rose's belly.

"Thanks, Em," Rose said. She shuffled from hoof to hoof as Ethan and Brandy carried out the paper-wrapped packages and loaded them into the saddlebags.

"Thirteen deliveries today," Ethan said. "Brandy and I'll walk you two to the village. We need to run some errands, so go to the post office once you're done."

"Yes, Master," they said. Ethan double-checked all of the bags and handed the clipboard to Rose. She shifted her weight from hoof to hoof and flipped through the clipboard. Emma clambered up on Rose's saddle and made herself comfortable as the four of them started walking.

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><p>Ethan sighed as they reached the Village. It was nearing eleven, and the dozen small businesses were at their busiest. People and pokegirls were milling down the Road, several glancing at the foursome at the south gate.<p>

"One hour," Ethan said with a pat on Rose's arm. "Go." Rose galloped off with Emma on her back.

"What errands do we have, Master?" Brandy asked, her long ears standing at attention. She fiddled with her own anti-capture collar.

"Grocer's, smith's, and the post office," Ethan said. People stopped talking as they walked by, mothers crossed to the other side rather than pass by Ethan and his Eva, and Pokegirls bristled as they neared. Ethan kept his hands in the pockets of his over-sized black pants and his head raised.

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><p>Rose and Emma covered the path from the gate to the front door of the MacPhearson residence at a slow trot. Emma hopped down from the saddle and knocked on the door. It opened, revealing a short, round woman with a plain face etched into a scowl.<p>

"Yes?" she asked in a reverberating bass. Emma held out a clipboard and pen.

"Delivery for Molly MacPhearson," Emma said. "Sign here, please." Molly MacPhearson quickly scrawled her signature across the bottom of the form and nearly threw the clipboard back at Emma. Emma pulled a small package from the saddlebags and gave it to MacPhearson. "Here you go! Would you like to place any other orders while we're here?"

"No, thank you!" MacPhearson said sharply and closed the door with not quite enough force to be a slam. Emma, not discouraged in the slightest, climbed back into the saddle.

"Four more to go!" she cried with a playful slap to Rose's rump. The Ponytaur snorted and cantered down the path and through the gate.

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><p>Brandy had hooked her arm around Ethan's as they walked through the Village, bags filled with food in their other hands. She happily nuzzled her Master's arm, adding an extra little sway to her hips as they made their way to the smithy.<p>

"Boris!" Ethan called. A bear of a man trudged out and squinted his eyes against the bright sun.

"Ethan?" the man grinned wide, showing off his uneven and stained teeth. "'bout time you showed up! Got your stuff right here, waitin' for you!" Boris reached one hand the size of a wreckball beneath one of the shelves and pulled out a rolled-up canvas package. "A dozen new tent pegs, top quality, all ready to go. Even put on a rust-resistant coating."

"Thanks, Boris." Ethan slipped the package into his satchel. "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me a thing," Boris clapped Ethan on the back, almost knocking him to the ground. "Not after cleanin' up my little girl's hurts when she fell."

"Thanks," Ethan nodded and hurriedly left, making his way down the street to the state building that served as the Village's post office, police station, hospital, and pokecenter. The walk lasted only a few minutes, but what they found outside set both on edge. Rose and Emma were waiting for them, Emma still nestled in the saddle, and a dozen teenagers ringed them. As Ethan and Brandy approached, they heard the teens' taunting.

"Isn't this just grand," one said, standing a bit forward and taller than the others, seemingly the leader. "Two little pokegirls out on their own. Where's your owner, girls?" The others snickered at his tone—he spoke as if to a child, or an idiot.

"Maybe he abandoned them," One of the others, a rat-faced, pimpled kid spoke up with a leer at Emma. "Maybe he left them here so anyone could have them."

"That Ponytaur's a bit old," the leader stepped forward, looking them up and down, "but I suppose she'd do for a few Tamings." Rose glared down at him and stamped a hoof on the street. Ethan waved at her and caught her eye. She smirked and crouched down, springing up and over the teenagers and landing lightly in front of Ethan.

"We finished earlier than expected, _Master_." She spoke louder than necessary for Ethan to hear, and added an extra emphasis on the title. The teens gave Ethan a mixture of harsh glares and disappointed shrugs. Emma pounced on Ethan and rubbed her furred cheek against his neck while Brandy loaded their bags of groceries into Rose's saddlebags.

"Any new orders?" he asked Rose, who handed him the clipboard. With one arm around Emma's waist, he walked to the state building and tucked the clipboard under his arm. The teens had scattered, moving on to pester someone else, and Ethan and Emma made it all the way up the steps to the door of the state building before someone else interrupted them.

"Warden!" Ethan turned to see George Simpson, the Village's unofficial dictator. Emma ducked and hid behind Ethan as he turned towards Simpson. Brandy and Rose tensed.

"What do you want?" Ethan asked evenly, not letting a trace of emotion show.

"The Village Council set a new ordinance," Simpson smirked, stretching his leathery face, "that declares all products sold in the Village to be subject to search by a Council official."

"Uh-huh." Ethan whispered in Emma's ear and gestured Brandy to him. Emma bounced down the stairs and jumped onto Rose, who immediately dashed up the Road to their house. Simpson looked from her rapidly retreating behind to Ethan and back, and waved an angry finger at the dark-haired man.

"Warden, I demand you call her back!" Simpson snarled. "All the products you brought today are confiscated, and—"

"They were already delivered," Ethan said evenly. "I don't have them."

He turned and guided Brandy into the building and to the desk manned by a NurseJoy who wore her hair in a tight bun. She smiled gently at him, but it faltered when Simpson followed them in.

"Then I want a list of your customers," Simpson ordered. "All of them."

"My list of customers is confidential." Ethan pulled the clipboard out of his satchel and handed an order form to the NurseJoy. He pulled another form from the clipboard and held it out for Simpson. "I can give you this. Fill out whatever you want to inspect, and I can have them to you within a week. I will, of course, expect full payment." Simpson snarled, but Ethan turned away to check his post office box, finding it barren of anything addressed to Moonlight Natural Remedies.

"I have the form ready, Ethan," the NurseJoy said, holding the folded paper out to him. Ethan reached for it, but Simpson's frail but surprisingly fast hand snatched it from her.

"I'm confiscating this under—give that back!" Simpson shouted. He turned to the beefy man wearing a police uniform that had taken the form from him and glared hard.

"Here you are, Mr. Warden," the policeman said, holding out the wrinkled form. Ethan took it from him and thanked him before leaving the State Building. The NurseJoy went back to her work, but kept an eye on the men before her counter.

"Do not contradict me again, Paris," Simpson hissed, his icy eyes narrowed. "I had every right to take that under the new ordinance."

"With respect, Mr. Simpson, you didn't," Paris said, his low voice rumbling in a not-quite-menacing manner. "You do have the right to inspect anything he intends to sell, but his order forms are not so. I suggest you take his offer and order one of each of his products."

"You watch it, Paris," Simpson almost growled. "You swore an oath to follow my directives, and—"

"Mr. Simpson, I swore an oath to uphold the law. I intend to do so. Now, I'm sure you have duties other than persecuting an honest businessman. Perhaps you should see to them."

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><p>"We're back!" Brandy called as she and Ethan entered the house. Emma and Rose were in the small but functional kitchen area, stowing the last of the groceries. Ethan braced himself as a loud, quick thumping signaled Emma running into the room and tackling him to the ground.<p>

"Masterrrr," she purred, licking his cheek. Ethan grinned and hugged her to him. Much more calmly, Rose stood nearby in her human form.

"Master, I'm going for a run," she said. Ethan nodded and she bounded outside, shifting into her centauroid form almost as she cleared the threshold. With Emma still clinging to him, Ethan stood and gently pried her off. He dropped his satchel on the table and ushered the girls back outside.

"Come on, there's work to be done in the garden."

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><p>"That's is the third one this month," Rose said as the four of them gathered around their small table for dinner, a simple meal of steamed fruits and vegetables, bread, and baked beans. "He's trying to run us out of business."<p>

"We already have to price lower than the League stuff just to get people to consider it," Brandy added with an angry stab with her fork at a slice of cucumber. "If Simpson keeps passing these ordinances, we won't have a customer left." Ethan quietly ate, his mouth set in a grim line as he chewed. "And our stuff is better! It works on all three levels of being, it doesn't have any of that artificial crap in it that Johanna puts in, and we make it right here, just outside the Village. By hand! We should be allowed to ask for twice what we are, and they still get it because it'd be worth it! But noooo—just because Simpson has some vendetta against you, Master—"

"There's more to it than just me and Simpson," Ethan said evenly. "It isn't just me taking Emma in after her Threshold, or even making pokegirl-based products. I'm not sure why, but I just have a feeling that there's more to this than we currently know."

Rose looked from Brandy to Ethan and back again, before glancing across the table to Emma, who was pushing a few carrots around on her plate. Ethan caught her gaze and put a gentle hand on Emma's shoulder. Her head snapped up, her gleaming golden eyes almost dull.

"Sorry, Master," she said. Ethan leaned closer and cupped her cheek in his hand. She nuzzled it and glanced at his eyes through his goggles.

"It's not your fault, love," he said warmly, reaching up to scratch behind her ear. "So don't apologize."

"Yes, Masterrrr," she purred and nipped playfully at his hand.

"Good girl." Emma beamed at that, and Ethan caught Brandy's and Rose's approving looks. "Now, eat up. We might roll around a bit after dinner."

Ethan couldn't help but smile as the youngest girl's enthusiasm spiked and she nearly inhaled what was on her plate, and she fidgeted as she waited for the others to finish.

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><p>Later, only a candle was lit in their bedroom as Brandy, Emma, and Rose spooned together under the thick blankets. Ethan sat on the side of the bed, on top of the covers and leaning over to tuck his girls in. His goggles had been pushed up onto his forehead, and his eyes gleamed in the candlelight, looking almost like they glowed from within.<p>

"See you in the morning, loves," he whispered giving each a chaste but tender and warm kiss. Emma looked up from between Rose and Brandy, a worried frown evident.

"Master?" she asked quietly, almost inaudibly. "You don't think Daddy's a bad person, do you?"

"No, Emma," Ethan said with a reassuring smile and a pet of her head. "He's just doing what he thinks he needs to do to protect his…his family. Just like I do what I need to do to protect mine. Don't worry about him, love. Tomorrow, Brandy and I'll get the lab ready to shut down for a bit, and then day after we'll go on a research trip. Take a break and get out in the wild." Emma's frown steadily weakened as he spoke, becoming a toothy grin at the idea of a trip.

"Promise, Master?"

"Promise, Emma. Now you three go on to sleep."

"Master?" Brandy spoke up this time from where Emma was hugging her head to the younger girl's much larger bosom. "We love you, Master."

"I love you, to—"

"But sometimes I wish you could sleep with us, especially after such a wonderful Taming." Ethan smirked at her.

"I do, too, love," he said and gave her cheek another kiss. "I do, too."

Ethan blew out the candle and stepped silently from the room, the moonlight through the crack in the blackout curtains enough for him to see by. He made his way out of the cozy little home and down to his lab, where he, completely at home in the Dark, took a few of the books down, including the latest in the row of dated journals, as well as several jars of powders from the opposite wall.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Brandy's right," he said to the empty air as he worked with the ingredients for products and took notes on the new process he was trying. "If this keeps up, we might have to find a new market."

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><p><strong>End of Chapter.<strong> Please leave a review, love it or hate it, things you liked, things you think could be better. Either just post them here, or PM me. And I know it's slow, but things will pick up soon. Thank you.


	2. Moonlight Natural Remedies

**A Routine Expedition**

**Chapter Two: Moonlight Natural Remedies**

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><p>The four of them marched along the overgrown, seldom-used trail, their shoes, paws, and hooves sinking slightly into the soft earth. The group was comfortably silent, except for their heavier breathing, as they reached a clearing at the top of a huge hill. The lush grass was soft and springy and that vibrant green that you only see out in the middle of the wilderness. The trees formed a thick barrier around the clearing, their branches reaching out and intertwining with each other to make a wooden net, casting a shadow under the afternoon sun.<p>

"Here we are, ladies," Ethan said. He waved a hand around the peaceful, quiet meadow with a smile spreading across his pale face. "Home for the next six nights." Emma dropped her heavy pack with the clanking of pots and bounded into the clearing with a bark of joy. Brandy wasn't far behind her, though unlike the excited Growlie, she kept her pack on—despite it looking as if it weighed as much as the tiny waif of an Eva. Ethan stood back with Rose and tossed Emma's bag over his shoulder, on top of his own huge, heavy pack.

"At least she's enthusiastic," Rose said with an amused chuckle. She shifted on her hooves, and followed Ethan into the clearing. Emma was sniffing along the ground in a level spot near the center, and Brandy was scratching a few dead leaves and twigs into a pile. Ethan set his and Emma's packs down, while Rose shifted to her humanoid form, letting her saddle fall to the ground. Unlike the one they used to deliver orders to their customers, this one was designed to carry only cargo, with several canvas bags strapped to it, including a long one about a foot wide and tall. That one she removed first and opened, revealing a mass of spindly metal poles and a huge earth-toned cloth.

"Rose and I will set up the tent," Ethan said. "Brandy, you and Emma go fill the water containers. You know where the stream is."

The two girls nodded to him and chorused, "Yes, Master." They grabbed collapsible containers from their packs and ran to the south, hopping easily through the trees to the cold, clear stream at the bottom of the hill. Ethan watched them for a bit before adjusting his dark goggles and helping Rose with their tent. It was larger than the average model a tamer would carry, which was usually only big enough to hold two or three (if they were very friendly—given that most occupants of such tents were pokegirls, it could be assumed that they were very friendly indeed) and was a simple dome tent. Ethan's was also a dome, but was much larger and able to hold a folding table in the center, as well as light folding chairs without trouble, and for Rose (who was an impressive 6'3") to stand in the center without ducking her head. They arranged it so the main entrance was facing the south, and continued on with the rest of it. This was a modular tent, with the large center dome and three smaller attachments that could be "docked" to the center piece, making a huge four-roomed tent. The whole thing was made up of a durable canvas, colored in dark greens and browns and treated to be waterproof and fire-retardant. Ethan and Rose stood back and admired their half-hour's work, her with an arm around his shoulder and him with an arm around her waist.

"Good," Ethan said, giving her a sideways hug. "Now let's get the stuff inside. The other two should be back soon." The pair moved the saddle and packs into the tent. The center room held a small, lightweight collapsing table, with four spindly aluminum chairs arranged around it. The three additional rooms were arranged in a triangle, with the tent's entrance between two of them. The room to the left of the entrance had a padded floor, and several blankets and pillows were piled on it. It was to be the bedroom. The room to the right held the saddle and nearly-emptied packs—that was their storeroom. Directly across from the entrance was Ethan's and Brandy's research and rendering room, which housed a spidery table with several racks and was their portable lab, with several bottles and chemicals already organized on a shelf.

While this was a camping trip for all of them, for Ethan and Brandy it was a chance to get out into the world and do field research, while also collecting samples for in-depth analysis once they returned. Rose stretched out on the grass, feeling the breeze on the creamy skin that her navy halter and skirt didn't cover, while Ethan was finishing their fire pit. Brandy and Emma bounded back into the camp, each carrying a huge canteen of water. They took the water into the tent and then sat on either side of Ethan, who had piled a bit of dry wood he had collected into the fire pit.

"Emma, if you would," he said with a gesture towards the pit. Emma kissed his cheek and spat an Ember attack into the pit, which lit up immediately with a merry crackling. Ethan scratched behind the Growlie's ear and gave an affectionate "Good girl." She beamed and leaned into his hand, her tail thumping happily against the ground.

"I'll collect more firewood, Master," Brandy said. Rose stood and stretched her arms over her head, putting her delightful curves on display, and the two of them combed the area for dead branches, always staying within sight of the camp. Ethan continued to scratch behind Emma's ear, which evolved into a two-handed scalp massage that slowly travelled down her back. Ethan's long, thin fingers pressed firmly into her taut muscles, the latter's strength hidden by deceptively soft skin and silky fur. Seemingly unnoticed by either of them, the knot in the halter strings behind Emma's neck had come undone.

"Feels gooood, Masterrrr," Emma nearly purred. She wriggled under his touch, her tail wagging ferociously and slapping against his thighs as his hands worked the small of her back. He grinned to himself when he noticed that her tail had pulled the navy skirt over her rear, showing off the plain, pale blue panties she wore under it. She let out a startled little bark when he palmed a cheek and gently squeezed it, but it turned into a pleasured moan as he massaged her rear. Her tail wagged harder than ever as he moved slowly down her legs, turning them to warm putty in his hands. He slowly worked his way back up, teasingly brushing the insides of her thighs. She spread her legs a bit, and Ethan got a glimpse of the darkening spot in her panties.

"Master…," she breathed, pushing her hips into the air, begging for attention. Ethan grinned to himself and traced a finger along the curving edge of the pale blue material where it met the top of her red and black-furred thigh.

"Yes, Love?" he said lightly as his other hand stroked her thigh. She let out a low moan and pushed back into his hands. "Do you need something?"

Panting, she reached back and hooked her thumbs in her panties and pulled them down to reveal her glistening womanhood. She looked over her shoulder at Ethan, pleading with her gleaming golden eyes, and said, "Master, tame me."

"Who am I to refuse that?" Ethan said with a grin. He brushed the fingers of one hand over and around her mound, which radiated an intense, but pleasant warmth, while the other unfastened his pants and let them fall to the ground. His cock was already hard, aroused by the sight, smell, and feel of the girl under him. He lifted her hips up until they were level with his and put her legs to keep her there. Her tail brushed against his clothed chest as he scooted forward and rubbed the tip of his cock along the length of her slit. She moaned and pushed back, her slick juices coated the head, and the heat intensified as Ethan took hold of her hips. He slowly pushed into her and both let out a low moan as her slick velvet channel wrapped around his hard shaft and tried to pull it in deeper.

Ethan pushed forward and buried more of his shaft in, the fiery girl taking it in until he was buried to the hilt. She moaned happily and ground into him. He slowly pulled out until just the head was inside her and, just as slowly, slid back into her heat. Steadily increasing his pace, he soon set a rhythm that had his youngest pokegirl clawing at the earth and leaving deep divots in it as she barked out in ecstasy. Soon he was slamming into her with a loud smack, gripping her hips to thrust himself deep and hard inside.

"Oh, Master!" Emma growled. "Fuck puppy's pussy! Cum in puppy!" Ethan thrust harder and leaned over her to bite her ear and whisper.

"You're my lovely puppy," he said softly, just loud enough for her to hear. She gave a hard shudder than almost threw him off, and he grinned at the sign. "Mine. And I'm going to fill up your pretty little pussy with my hot cum. Does puppy want that?" Emma nodded her head so hard she nearly banged it into the ground and thrust back into Ethan's hips with a happy growl. Her tight, hot channel grasped and rippled around him, and was too much for him to keep going for long. He snaked a hand around her front, tickling it through her pubic fur until he found the little nub at the top of her slit and rubbed his finger around it. Almost instantly, Emma let out a howl that would have rattled windows if they were in a building and clamped down on his cock. That was the limit for Ethan, who gave a final deep, hard thrust and growled in her ear as he shot his load into her. The pair collapsed onto the ground, panting, as Ethan wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her to him.

"Hey!" Brandy shouted. She and Rose ran up and dropped their loads of firewood in a pile before the smaller brown girl jumped onto Ethan and Emma and accusingly said, "You started without us!" The three of them rolled away from the fire pit until Ethan was on his back, with Emma and Brandy both of top of him.

"Master started it," Emma pouted while rubbing her cheek against his chest. Brandy mirrored the younger girl's movements, rubbing little circles down Ethan's chest and stomach until her tiny hand wrapped around his still-hard and still-wet cock. Ethan felt another pair of hands, sure and strong, making their way up his bare legs and looked down to see Rose with a serene smile on her pretty face. Brandy and Emma kissed their way down his front and all three met at his cock, each looking to one of the others. They were still a moment, until all three of the girls sprung into action at once. Rose dove down to lick and gently palm his balls while Emma gave the shaft long, slow licks from base to tip and Brandy wrapped her soft lips around the head, sucking gently and flicking her tongue over the tip like a flautist. Ethan's head fell back as he let out a low moan of pleasure, the sensations of three hot mouths attacking him at once almost overwhelming. His hands drifted down to pet whatever he could reach, which happened to be the base of Brandy's tail (she gave an appreciative suck when he started rubbing around the area) and Emma's breast, which had come uncovered while they rolled on the ground.

"Oh, you girls are good," Ethan moaned. The girls' enthusiasm doubled and soon Brandy and Rose switched places, the older woman's smoldering emerald eyes locked with Ethan's dark goggles. Rose nudged the other two and they locked eyes with their master as well, bright gold and warm cinnamon joining the green. Ethan was right on the edge, and their look of lust, love, and adoration pushed him over. Thick streams sprayed out of his shaft and directly into Rose's mouth. She gathered it in her mouth and pulled off and gave him a smug smirk.

"I want some!" Emma pushed herself onto Rose and thrust a tongue through the pokewoman's lips to get at the fluid within. Ethan propped himself up on his elbows with a small grin to watch the two kiss hotly and pass it between their mouths. Brandy had ducked down and kissed her way down Emma's front.

"Wow," Ethan breathed. "I am very, _very_ lucky."

"That you are, Master," Rose said with a grin. She kissed the tip of his softening dick and pushed herself onto her feet. Brandy had dived down and was licking the first load out of Emma. "The sun will set in a couple of hours. I'll start on dinner."

"Fish?" Emma stopped her moaning, ears perked up. Ethan nodded and reached for his pants.

"FISH!" Emma shouted and shot towards the stream like a blond rocket, leaving a trail of clothes behind her. Ethan, Brandy and Rose stared after her.

"Where does all that energy come from?" Ethan wondered.

"If the solar panels ever go out, we could just put her on a treadmill," Brandy said. She stood and shed her t-shirt and short denim shorts. "Let's go make sure she doesn't hurt herself."

Ethan and Brandy found Emma in the middle of the broad, slow stream, the water up to her knees. Her tail waved as she stood over the water, hands poised to strike. Ethan raised a hand up against the glare off the water and could make out the glittering streaks of fish swimming in the slow stream. Emma suddenly sprang forward, diving into the deeper part of the stream near the other bank. She disappeared under the surface for a moment but emerged with a squirming fish held sideways in her mouth. With a look of smug satisfaction, she waded back to Ethan and Brandy to drop the hefty fish into Ethan's hand. He quickly grabbed it by the gills and patted Emma's head with his free hand.

"Good girl, Emma," he said with pride. She beamed at him, turned, and charged back into the water. Brandy watched Emma ready herself for another strike while Ethan pulled out a knife and began cleaning the fish.

"Not going to help her?" he asked without looking up from his work.

"She's having fun," Brandy said. She sat next to him and leaned into him, being careful to not be in the way of his arms.

* * *

><p>The sun was low in the horizon as Ethan and his girls gathered around their cooking fire. They had come back with a three good-sized fish, along with edible berries that Brandy had gathered while Emma splashed around in the stream, all of which was combined with some fresh fruit and vegetables that they had brought from home and steamed.<p>

"This is nice," Brandy said as she nibbled on her fish. Emma nodded emphatically and nearly swallowed hers whole. Rose ate her vegetarian meal daintily and silently with a content smile.

"Tomorrow, we'll go find that flock of Buttitsfree," Ethan said. "The usual plan with them."

"Yes, Master," the girls chorused.

"Then Brandy and I'll ready all the powders for travel so we can use them when we get back to the lab." Ethan and the girls finished their meal in a comfortable silence broken by the occasional joke.

Ethan and Brandy followed Emma, who was on all fours, sniffing along the ground. Ethan carried a large pack, and Brandy a satchel, both filled with sacks and bottles and containers of all sizes.

"We're gettin' close," Emma snuffed as they stumbled through the underbrush into another clearing. It was a bit smaller than the one in which they made camp, but was more densely populated. At least a dozen Cutiepies and Titapods meandered about the clearing, nibbling on the sweet fruit in the trees. Ethan looked up and saw the three Buttitsfree that were their targets. The nearby pokegirls noticed them and shied away as Ethan and Brandy put their packs on the ground.

"Good girl, Emma," Ethan said as he gave the Growlie's head an affectionate pat. One of the Buttitsfree had noticed them and waved her sisters over, the three bug-types fluttering around Ethan and his girls. They crowded around the bags and tugged on the canvas as Ethan reached into one and pulled out a small can of soda. The bugs stared at the can and licked their lips simultaneously.

"Hello again, ladies," Ethan said as he popped the can. "Who's first?"

The Buttitsfree looked between each other and pushed the middle one forward. Her pale blue hair was shorter than that of the other two, and she fluttered nervously.

"You were a Titapod last time we were here, weren't you?" Brandy said softly.

"Here," Ethan said. He dipped the tip of his finger into the cola and held it out to her. She leaned forward and licked the sweet dark liquid from his finger, gave an excited "Free!" and dove for the eight-ounce can. Ethan and Brandy quickly slipped wing covers onto her and fastened them while she drank the cola. Brandy took the empty can and put it back into their bag.

The Buttitsfree trailed her hands over her tiny body, moaning softly and brushing her fingers over her little nipples. Her glittering eyes burned sultrily as she looked up at Ethan. Her sisters pushed her to the ground and Emma pounced on her, pushing her thin legs apart and diving between them. The bug-girl let out a startled gasp and fluttered her wings, sealed by the wing covers. Her sisters were pawing at Ethan and Brandy expectantly, and weren't disappointed when Ethan pulled another two cans of soda out of his bag, opened them, and gave one to each. They eagerly slurped up the fizzy drink and stood still as Ethan and Brandy put two more sets of wing covers on them.

"Good to see their last sister evolved," Ethan commented quietly as he pet the eldest's (the one that had the longest hair and bright green eyes, compared to the rich red the other two had). "They seem happier."

"They do," Brandy agreed while she rubbed down the middle sister's sides. Emma gave a muffled bark of agreement and her Buttitsfree gave a strong jerk and cried out. Her wings fluttered wildly as the bug type came hard and collapsed onto the soft clovers. Emma dutifully licked the sweet-tasting girl clean and bounded over to Ethan and the elder sister. Her Master had been lightly teasing the tiny girl, expertly keeping her just on the edge of orgasm. Ethan supported the tiny girl as Emma dove between her legs and lapped up the sugary slickness. Her wings flapped ferociously, a tiny amount of glittering green powder slipping out around the cover. Ethan gently lowered her to the ground and glanced at Brandy, who was enthusiastically going down on the middle sister. It didn't take long for her to join her sisters and collapse to the ground, gently guided by Ethan and Brandy. Carefully, they removed the wing covers and sealed them with all the powders the girls had released inside.

"We got a fair amount, Master," Brandy said. "Are we going to separate them once we get back to the camp?"

"Yes, Apprentice," Ethan said as he gave each of the Buttitsfree a pet on the head and a whispered thanks. Emma, who had been batting around a Feral Titapod, suddenly darted into the bushes, chasing a smaller brown blur that was probably just a scared titmouse.

"Emma!" Brandy shouted, quickly running over to the edge of the undergrowth before Ethan grabbed her shoulder.

"Emma, come back!" he ordered. "You're going to run right into the—" he stopped and winced as Emma let out a pained yelp. "Oooh, that's going to…. Right into the bramble patch."

* * *

><p>Later, while Brandy collected the powders from the wing covers, Ethan and Emma were by the campfire, the former sitting behind the latter with a pair of tweezers and combing through her fur.<p>

"How many times has this happened before?" Rose asked in a tone that said she knew exactly how many, and that amount was exactly how many times she and Ethan and Brandy had told the youngest of their group not to run off.

"Twenty-three," Emma said quietly, wincing as Ethan pulled one of the little barbed seeds out of her fur. He dropped it into a collection vial, which while the largest size vial he had (able to hold six ounces of liquid) was already half-full of the little barbs.

"We keep telling you because you always seem to forget," Ethan admonished gently as he pulled another from under her arm. She gave a whimper in response, either from the tugging on her fur, her Master's words, or the rapidly-cooling air in the clearing brushing against her naked body. Ethan pulled another seed from behind her ear. "You're not in trouble, but you need to stick with us. A lone little titmouse isn't enough to distract my guard puppy, is she?"

Her eyes still not looking up from her toes, Emma shook her head forlornly.

"And next time it might not be a bramble patch you run into," Rose said as she stirred the light soup that was to be their lunch. "You might run off a cliff, or into a bunch of territorial Ferals, or even into something...worse…." She trailed off at the sudden grim look that spread across Ethan's face. His hands didn't slow down at all, and so Emma (already caught up in her own private misery) never noticed the sudden change of mood. They sat in an awkward silence while Ethan plucked more seeds from Emma's fur and filled the vial and kept combing for more and Emma sat and shivered and Rose stirred and mentally berated herself until Ethan finally declared he had completely cleaned all of the seeds out and Emma barreled into the tent, probably headed straight for their padded bed and the thick blankets on top of it.

Ethan and Rose sat by the fire, the awkward silence renewed. Ethan stared into the cooking fire, legs drawn up to his chest. He looked more like a scared boy than a young businessman, and Rose gave herself another mental kick in the pants.

"I'm sorry, Master," she said. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"It's fine, Rose," he said. He stretched and laid himself out on the lush grass, watching the thick clouds passing over the sun and letting his gaze drift down to the dark storm clouds that were headed towards the camp, and then to the tent, where he knew Brandy was working meticulously. "That all happened a long time ago. Seventeen years ago. We've grown up."

"Master, they were your parents," Rose said. She scooted closer and put a hand on his chest. "That's not something you just get over."

"I know, love." Ethan put his hand on hers. "I never said I got over it. I just…accepted it and moved on. It's not like we were short of parental figures at the Ranch." He gave her a solemn look through his dark goggles, and for a moment she could imagine the tears that were welling up. "But that's not important. Now, we have you and Emma to watch out for, and to keep an eye on us. If it wouldn't give an incesty feel to the moment, I'd say you've been like a favorite aunt. You're my friend, Rose, and I love you for it."

Rose's heart-shaped face matched her hair, she was blushing so hard. She took her Master's hand and kissed the knuckle.

"I love you, too, Master," she said. "But if you keep talking like that, we're going to have to get out the rubbers."

Ethan laughed at that, and Rose joined him, the tension suddenly gone.

* * *

><p>The third, fourth, and fifth days passed much like the second. Ethan, Brandy, and Emma would gather materials while Rose guarded the campsite; Ethan and Brandy would prepare the materials to travel back to their lab, where they would be used to make his organic medicines and other products, and Rose and Emma would gather up and prepare dinner. Emma did not run off again until the fifth day, when she chased a feral Chichi out of the campsite.<p>

The sixth day found the four of them a mile upstream, where it was fed by a clear pond. The girls had all stripped, and Ethan to his boxers, and were relaxing in the cool water with a peaceful afternoon swim. This was a lazy day, meant for them to relax and rest before having to go back home and work. Rose floated languidly as Emma and Brandy splashed each other. Ethan had spotted something at the bottom of the pond and dove down to investigate it, but would resurface after a short time with a sample. The water was refreshing and almost purifying after almost a week without a hot bath, and devoid of hostile Ferals. However, there was nothing wrong with exercising caution.

"You two don't run off too far," Rose cautioned. Suddenly they stopped splashing, and she looked up to see where they had gone, but the two girls had disappeared. Rose rolled over onto her stomach and looked around. "Emma! Brandy! Where are you?"

The only sounds were the wind in the trees and the water slapping against the rocks on the shore. Ethan finally surfaced with some strands of blue moss in one hand while the other brushed his hair out of his face.

"Hey, Rose, there's this cool blue—"

"Master, Emma and Brandy are gone!" Ethan dropped the moss and looked around the pond.

"What happened?" he demanded. "Feral? Thief?"

"They were playing and then they were gone!" Rose was beginning to panic and shifted back to her centauroid form, her four powerful legs kicking to keep her afloat. Her head thrashed about as she looked for the other two, until she heard Ethan stifle a laugh. She whipped around to see him with a hand over his mouth, looking into the water. She opened her mouth to demand an explanation when two pair of hands grabbed her wrists and tugged on them. She screamed as two furry heads burst from the water and shouted "Boo!"

Rose spent the half hour after they had all gotten to the edge of the pond and dried off explaining exactly why she never wanted Brandy and Emma to pull that prank on her again. Once she was satisfied that they were sufficiently ashamed, the hugged both of them to her bosom.

"And don't you two ever worry me like that again," she said. They promised not to, and all three redressed. Ethan had already pulled his shirt and jeans on and spent the time poking at a sample of the blue moss he had retrieved and writing his observations in the journal he kept in his pocket.

"Master?" Ethan looked up to see Rose standing before him, with Emma and Brandy each holding a hand. "We're ready to go."

"Okay." Ethan stood and pocketed both the journal and the collection vial that held the moss. "When we get back to camp, backrubs for all."

The girls cheered as they started on their way back to the tent.

* * *

><p>"It's good to get back home," Brandy said as she stretched her arms over her head. They had to leave early in the morning to get back at mid-afternoon, and after a seven-hour hike, all four were ready to crash on their worn and comfy couch. Even Emma's usual bounce had been dulled, and she trudged alongside the rest of them with her eyes half-closed.<p>

"Huh?" Her eyes shot open and her ears perked up as she sniffed the air. She sniffed a few more times and let out a low growl. "Master, intruder."

"Who is it?" Ethan asked as they all tensed. Emma sniffed along the ground, a look of concentration on her slight muzzle.

"It's Daddy," she said softly. Ethan snorted and rushed up the hill. As soon as the house and lab were in sight, he dropped his pack and broke out into a full run.

"Simpson!" he roared as he spotted the old man at the door to his lab, trying to pick one of the locks. Simpson looked up and shot a glare at Ethan as the younger man skidded to a stop in front of him.

"There you are, Warden," Simpson growled. "You missed your summons, and the latest Village Council meeting. Your business is now searchable, and—"

"Remove yourself from my property," Ethan said in a low, venomous hiss. The two glared at each other, Simpson's cold steely eyes reflected back at him in Ethan's goggles as Ethan's girls caught up.

"Open the door," Simpson spat. "I'm here to make sure that your methods are environmentally sound and don't produce any toxic byproducts."

"All of my products, ingredients, and methods are on file with the League," Ethan countered. "Call them and they'll give you a full list."

"Open the door, now!"

"Leave, Simpson," Ethan ordered with barely-contained rage. His pale hands were curled into fists and shaking as he stared down the man that did everything he could to make his life miserable. Simpson had been rude to him, publicly belittled him, and even started a smear campaign in an attempt to turn the villagers against him. At that moment, it took every milligram of patience and self-control Ethan had not to put a fist into that sneering, leathery old face. Why did this old man hate him so? Ever since Ethan had started Moonlight Natural Remedies almost five years before, Simpson had tried and tried to stamp the tiny business out. It had worsened after Ethan had stumbled into Simpson publicly disowning Emma after she thresholded the previous summer, stopped the old man from beating his daughter, and then taken her in to be his pet. The blood pounded in Ethan's ears, drowning out whatever Simpson was ranting in his grinding steel voice. Many of the villagers had believed the lies Simpson had spread, and treated Ethan and his girls as if they carried the Plague. A few who knew Ethan, like the NurseJoy, or at least knew to not believe only one source of information, like Officer Paris, were at least cordial, if not friendly.

Ethan thought about the past week he had spent with his girls in the forest, without the pressures of supplying medicines to a village that mostly hates them or dealing with an obsessive old codger that could not consider an outside opinion. He longed for peace and quiet and being appreciated for his work.

Then the idea struck.

"Simpson, we're leaving the village," Ethan said suddenly. Everyone stopped at that.

"Say again?" Simpson said, holding a hand up to his ear.

"We're leaving," Ethan repeated. "Tomorrow. So now you'll never have to deal with us again." The fact that they would never have to deal with him again went unspoken. A malicious grin spread across Simpson's face.

"You give up, then?" he almost whispered.

"We're leaving," Ethan said a third time. "Now, go back home and celebrate like I know you've wanted to for five years." He turned to Brandy, who was alternating between glaring at Simpson and shooting concerned looks to Emma, who was hiding behind Rose, who held his pack out to him. He took it and led the girls back into their house as Simpson hobbled down the dirt trail to the Village.

"Master, are we really going?" Brandy asked as soon as the door had shut. They all dropped their packs by the door (Rose slipping into her humanoid form and out of her saddle). "I know he's been giving us a real hard time, but our lab is here, and our house."

"We can pack up enough of the lab to make all our products," Ethan said as he flopped bonelessly onto the middle of the couch, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted. "It'll be heavier at first, but we'll get by."

The girls quickly surrounded him: Brandy snuggled into his right side and pulled his arm around her lithe frame; Rose contented herself with sitting to his left and laying her head on his shoulder; and Emma had lain across their laps, ready to have one of them scratch her back.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you before this," Ethan said, "but if we stay here, he'll eventually stamp us out of business. If we get out in the world, we might be able to make a name for ourselves, expand a bit, and make enough money to settle down in a bigger city that's not at the beck and call of another George Simpson." Emma let out a soft whine and Ethan scratched behind her ear.

"How are we going to expand?" Rose asked. "You've only got a Pet Owner's License, and you're not allowed more than three pokegirls." Ethan was silent, deep in thought.

"You said we were too small to qualify for a Tradesman's License," Brandy added. "The business had to have at least ten employees or something." Ethan idly petted Emma, adding a playful grope or pinch.

"I'll take the Tamer's test in the morning," he said finally. "Then we'll be able to go wherever we want, and grow a bit. Maybe make some contacts with the supply stores around the continent, in the League." He looked at the tiny Eva at his side. "What do you think?"

"Master, I'm not sure about this," Brandy said softly. "But we've known each other since we were in diapers. I trust you. We'll go." Ethan turned to Rose.

"We're your pokegirls, Master," she said as if telling him the sky is blue and grass is green and you shouldn't look into a laser with your remaining eye. "We'll follow you to hell and back and pull you over for Tamings whenever we get a chance. Go."

"Emma?" They looked down at the Growlie, who had been thoroughly enjoying having three hands rubbing and scratching her tummy. She pouted at them when they stopped.

"Will we have new playmates?" she asked. At Ethan's noncommittal shrug, she beamed at them. "Go, go, go!"

"Alright then," Ethan said. "We'll rest tonight, and tomorrow we'll start on our Taming Journey."

* * *

><p>Alright, Author's Notes time:<p>

1—There is now a Review Thread for this story, located here. Please stop by and leave a few words, love it or hate it or suggestions to make it better.

2—Thanks to those who sent PM reviews. Your advice has been considered and likely will be revisited.

3—There was a tiny bit of confusion about Emma, so I'm including for this chapter a short little Statistics Block. If you want it to stick around, let me know.

Ethan Miguel Warden VII

23yo human male, Pet Owner's License

Owner/Manager of Moonlight Natural Remedies

Brandy

23yo threshold Eva

Ethan's Apprentice

Rose

34yo domestic Ponytaur

Already pokewoman

Emma

19yo threshold Growlie

5—As far as universe goes, consider this moderately futuretense of prime, in a relatively pro-equality league (relative compared to prime-canon Indigo). Pokegirls are considered property, but have several well-enforced laws to prevent abuse to any of them by anyone. Pureblood humans are all-but extinct. For now, that is all on that.

Q—Remember, updates will be sporadic at best, especially if I can manage to find a summer job. Please do tell me if you spot any glaring errors or even little things that I might have gotten wrong from incomplete research. Thanks for reading, stick around for more.


	3. Susan

**A Routine Expedition**

**Chapter Three: Susan**

* * *

><p>"Congratulations, Mister Warden," April, the NurseJoy at the village's state building, said. "You're the first person to get a perfect score in three years."<p>

"Thank you," Ethan said. He had been at the building when April had come out to unlock the door, and surprised the petite pokegirl when he asked to take a Tamer's qualification test.

"You still need to have a psych evaluation," April continued as she typed at her terminal. "There are no psychic pokegirls here, but since you don't have any of the Blood Gifts that prevent a psychic scan, the League wants us to use the method that's more reliable than a paper test. This has happened a couple of times before, so don't worry. You have five days to report to a pokecenter with a psychic pokegirl to do your evaluation."

"Understood," Ethan said.

"We were able to do the blood test here, though. No genetic defects, but you do have three Blood Gifts."

"I know about them," Ethan said dismissively. "Nightwalker, Night Vision, and a weak version of Chameleon."

"Exactly what we have on record," April said brightly. She turned and gave him an intense smile. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to submit to an interview about your view of the world. I mean, what things are like when everyone's asleep, in the world of the dark—for scientific curiosity, you see."

"Sorry, April," Ethan said. He quickly pocketed the papers he needed to take to the other pokecenter. "We have to get going soon. The nearest town is a good ten hours' hike."

"Oh, alright," April said with a disappointed huff. "I'll close your mailbox for you. And I put my number on your forms, so you give me a call when you get your license."

"I will, and thank you." Ethan gave her a smile and turned to leave.

"Safe journey!" April called after him as he walked down the steps and met up with Rose, Emma, and Brandy, who were all heavily laden with their clothes, tools, lab equipment, and food. His own pack was leaned against the stairs, and he quickly shouldered it.

"Ready to go?" he asked the girls. They nodded and the four started marching down the Road and out of the Village. For the late morning, there was surprisingly little traffic down the Village's only road. As they reached the flat fields that separated the Village from the Forest, Emma suddenly stopped her eager skipping and sniffed the wind.

"What's wrong?" Ethan asked her, but she only grinned happily in response and bounded to a bush on the side of the road. A middle-aged woman stood and gracefully stepped out from behind it. She had been quite pretty when she was younger, but the years and environment had not been kind to her. Covered from neck to toe in plain and simple dress, the woman held her bony arms out to hug Emma, who tackled her and hugged her tightly.

"Hello, Emma," the woman said softly as she put a hand on the Growlie's head. "Hello, Ethan."

"Mrs. Simpson," Ethan said with a polite nod. Rose and Brandy stood to either side of him and slightly behind as Emma hugged her mother and purred.

"I heard that you were leaving today," Mrs. Simpson said softly. "I just came to say safe journey, and to wish all of you luck."

"Thank you, Mrs. Simpson," Ethan said, keeping the genuinely polite tone. "It's much appreciated."

"I also wanted to apologize for what my husband has been doing," she continued. "I know it doesn't mean as much coming from me, but I also…wanted to tell you why." Ethan's eyebrow shot up at that.

"Why what?"

"Why George…." A sad, pained look crossed her wizened face, and Ethan saw a tinge of regret. She let out a sigh and continued, "I wanted to tell you that twenty years ago, I…I cheated on George."

"Why tell me this?" Ethan asked. After all, twenty years ago he was only three—then it clicked. "It was with my dad, wasn't it?"

"Yes," she nodded sadly. "George has always been…old-fashioned, I suppose. But especially concerning how pokegirls and even women should be treated. I just…needed to feel…. That's not important. Your father was nicer to me than George has ever been. Every girl wants to be a treated like a princess, I suppose." Ethan's brow furrowed as she continued her rambling story. "Anyway, George found out, and he hated your father ever since. After the Widow attack, that hatred just shifted to you. I'm sorry for that, Ethan."

"It's not your fault," he said truthfully. It would be silly to blame a person for the actions of another. "Thank you for telling me." She let out a sigh of relief and stepped closer. Her eyes shined with fond old memories and regrets of time cut short as she looked at Ethan.

"You look just like him," she said with a smile. "He didn't wear the goggles. I hope…I hope that you can forgive George. He's not a bad man."

"I know," Ethan said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We need to go, though. I'll make sure Emma writes you." The Growlie, still latched onto her mother, nodded furiously. Ethan, Brandy, and Rose waited patiently while mother and daughter said their goodbyes.

"Take care!" Mrs. Simpson called after them as they made their way down the road and towards the nearest town, which itself wasn't much bigger than the village. They waved to her and continued on their way down the dirt road. The road passed through the forest that seemed to separate the village from the rest of the world and on to the grassy hills of Trail's End, a town not much bigger than the village, nor much more frequented—it was, however the closest, at twenty miles away. In the rural part of the League they lived in, groups of humans were few and far between.

They had managed to leave the village around noon, and marched at a steady pace until six, when they came upon a cleared-out area that was an old league-maintained campsite at the halfway point. Deciding to spend the night there, Ethan and his girls efficiently made camp. Dinner was unremarkable, and the girls, tired from the march, turned in early. They had only put up the smaller module of the tent that they normally used as a bedroom in order to save time, and Ethan stayed outside so he wouldn't disturb their rest. As the fire died down into ash, Ethan lay on his back in the dirt with his goggles pushed onto his forehead, staring up at the stars. They seemed to glow with a brighter intensity than ever before, tiny beacons glimmering so far away.

"It was a real surprise," he said softly to the air. "Did you know about it? Did you take part in it?"

Ethan sighed and pulled an old photograph out of his pocket. The edges were scuffed and yellowed with age, and it had been ripped in half and taped back together at some point in its life. In the picture were almost a dozen people, all smiling and laughing and wearing silly hats. All happy. In the center were two young children: a small boy with pale skin, black hair, and clunky sunglasses that hid his eyes; and a freckled girl with bushy brown hair and cinnamon eyes. In front of them was a huge cake with five lit candles, the flames flickering as the children tried to blow them out. Behind the boy was a man in his thirties, with the same pale skin and black hair, his eyes shining in the flash from the camera. The man had his arm around a pokewoman with long ears, black fur, and glowing rings spaced around her body. She was tall and busty for her breed, and looked on with pride and joy at the young boy. Ethan's eyes, shining with unshed tears, focused on these last two.

"I don't know, Mom," he almost whispered. "I don't know if this is the right thing to do…. I don't want them to get hurt—they're all I have."

Ethan slipped the picture back into his pocket and put his hands behind his head, turning his gaze back to the stars. "Being a tamer gives us a bit more freedom, but if there's an all-call like there was with you and Dad, then…I just don't know. But we're committed now. I just hope it's not to an asylum."

* * *

><p>The next morning they rose with the sun and were back on the road to Trail's End an hour later. They soon left the trees behind and made their way through the hills, undisturbed by Ferals thanks to the repellant that Ethan made.<p>

"And here's Trail's End," Ethan said as they approached the town. A tall chain-link fence surrounded the entire settlement, a meager but reassuring measure against feral pokegirls. The road changed from packed dirt to cobblestone at the single gate into the town, and all the buildings had a similar architecture based on stone walls and wooden roofs. The sun, nearing its highest point in the sky, glinted off the sign that marked the town's pokecenter. Several people were going about their business in the street. A few waved or smiled welcomingly, and Ethan and his girls waved and smiled back, glad for the change from the Village.

"Welcome!" the NurseJoy behind the counter called as they entered the Pokecenter. Emma, who had never been this far from the village, was nearly vibrating with excitement at all the new sights, sounds, and smells. Rose put a hand on her shoulder to calm her as the Ponytaur shifted into her humanoid form and pushed her saddle onto one of the couches that lined the lobby. "How may I help you today?"

"Yes, my name is Ethan Warden," Ethan said as he approached the counter. "I'm here to—"

"Ethan Miguel Warden?" the NurseJoy interrupted.

"Yes, the Seventh."

"Right this way. Your girls can stay in the lobby." She stood and led him down the hall to a small room with a table and two chairs, one on each side, and a camera in the corner. A Ka-D-Bra in a League uniform was in one of the chairs. The NurseJoy pushed Ethan inside and slammed the door behind him.

"Hello," the Ka-D-Bra said. Her antenna waved at him and she shuddered softly, making her generous bosom quiver. "You have a strong Dark lineage."

"Sorry," Ethan said with a slight bow. He sat across from her when she gestured to the empty chair. She opened the manila folder and leafed through the papers as she spoke.

"It's not so much that I still can't do my job—even if you do give me the willies." She said this last with a saucy wink. "Now, I've been looking through your file, and I have just a few questions for you. First, why do you want to be a Tamer?"

"I want to travel a bit," Ethan said evenly. "And my father was a Tamer—I'm named after him, and I thought I should make sure it stays a good name."

The Ka-D-Bra gave him a long, even stare. "Yes, I know the story of Ethan Miguel Warden the Sixth." Her tone made it clear she knew how that story ended, too. "Second: why should the League give you a Tamer's License?"

"I've been around pokegirls, both tame and feral, all my life. I helped care for them at the Ranch I grew up on, and my admittedly small business is heavily pokegirl-centric. I will be an effective Tamer and someone the League can be proud of." Ethan said this slowly and evenly, as if he had spent all morning rehearsing it—he had. The Ka-D-Bra's antennae waved at him again and she gave him that same even stare before giving him a small, sultry smirk.

"Good," she said with a slight purr. "You have a very high Empathy rating—would you consider this a help or a hindrance."

"A help, obviously," Ethan said immediately. "I find that being able to connect with my pokegirls gives me a better understanding of their needs, which helps me make them into better employ—fighters. People. It's a help." She gave him an unreadable look, and the tingling sensation that had been under his scalp intensified for a moment. With another smirk, the Ka-D-Bra moved on.

"I see in your file that you once caused injury to a Tamer trying to get his starter from your Ranch," she said. "You bit his wrist and dislocated his shoulder. I'm not sure the League would want someone with such a violent streak."

"He hit my sister," Ethan said quietly. His jaw was set and he sat with his head high, unashamed. "I hit him for her." The antennae waved again and the Ka-D-Bra chuckled softly.

"I suppose I can mark that as you being protective of those you care about. You were only ten." She made a few notes in the file and let out a soft sigh. "Final question: if there was an all-call to take care of a menace pokegirl, would you answer it?"

That brought Ethan up short. He looked at the lights, at the folder, at the walls—anywhere but at the Ka-D-Bra. He needed to answer. He wasn't sure. Could he answer that call and march his girls and himself to certain death? He didn't want to. He liked being able to refuse that as just a businessman and a pet owner.

"I'd have to," he finally said, eyes downcast. He didn't care if the Ka-D-Bra was reading his mind as he wondered what his father had said those many years ago. A light and rapid scratching of pen on paper brought him out of his thoughts and he looked up to see the Ka-D-Bra writing a few notes in his file. She closed the folder and handed it to him with instructions to take it to Sally-Anne, the NurseJoy at the front counter. He thanked her and quickly exited.

"Master!" Emma pounced on him as soon as he re-entered the lobby, smacking him into the wall and kissing him fiercely. "I just sent a letter to Momma and told her we're here and you're getting your license and Brandy's gonna be your alpha and we're having so much fun and—"

"Emma, slow down, love," Ethan said as he put a calming hand on her head. She nipped at his wrist playfully and bounded back into the lobby to curl up in Brandy's lap. Ethan glanced at the counter and saw that Sally-Anne was busy with a boy in jeans and a t-shirt that barely looked over fourteen. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, clearly eager to get somewhere—judging by the shiny new pokeball in his hand, that somewhere was the nearest taming room.

"Well?" Rose asked as Ethan approached them.

"Don't know yet," he said. "I have to give this to her, and then we find out."

Not a minute later the boy dashed down the hall Ethan had just come down, and Sally-Anne gestured Ethan forward.

"She said to give you this," Ethan said as he handed her the folder. The NurseJoy opened it and read the notes the Ka-D-Bra had made before flipping back to the first page and signing off on it.

"You passed your psych evaluation," she said as she typed rapidly. "That, along with your passing test score, qualifies you for a Tamer's License. Do you accept all the rights and responsibilities thereof?"

"I do," Ethan said quickly. The computer made a few pinging noises and a small red box was ejected from a nearby slot.

"Here is your pokedex," Sally-Anne said quickly and efficiently, as if she had a thousand times before. "You also marked that you choose to waive the starter pokegirl given by the League, so that's all you get from us."

Ethan blinked. "Thank you?"

"You're welcome," Sally-Anne said without looking up from the computer. She suddenly paused and gave him a deep, soul-poking look. "Although, I should tell you that there's a Naga that's been hanging around the fence for the past month or so. She's not hurt anyone, so she's not that high a priority, but she does steal supplies if you're not careful."

"Thank you, I'll keep an eye out."

"It's just that with such low traffic to this town and no ranch, there aren't a lot of Tamers that come through here."

"I…see…," Ethan said. The girl was practically asking him to go catch that Naga. "I'm actually a maker of medicines and other household products—I'm with Moonlight Natural Remedies. All of our products are made by hand, from all-natural organic ingredients. They're all on file, of course, and I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't get run out of town if I tried to sell here."

"Of course you wouldn't," Sally-Anne said with a dismissive wave. "Feel free to sell what you like."

"Thank you." Ethan collected his girls and readjusted the saddle on Rose once they were outside. The street was much busier, and several people stopped to listen as he cried his wares. Pain relievers, cough and cold medicines, disinfectants, aphrodisiacs, hair dyes, sleep aids, herbicides, pesticides, even soap—Ethan had something that could interest anyone. He quickly had several customers lining up for samples, and he eagerly agreed. By the end of the day, everyone in the small town had seen him and his pokegirls, and a third had bought at least one item.

"Mister Warden?" called a deep, gruff voice. Ethan turned to see a grey man who was five feet tall, five feet wide, and stuffed into a pinstriped suit. His thinning hair was combed over to hide the huge bald spot, and a shiny gold watch chain glinted at his waist. A pink-haired Catgirl in a matching pantsuit stood behind him with a clipboard and stack of folders.

"Yes? Can I get anything for you?" Ethan asked.

"I heard you just got your Tamer's License," the man said. "I'm the mayor of Trail's End, and I wanted to ask a favor of you."

A long pause.

"I'm listening," Ethan said evenly. Several of the locals stopped to watch the newcomer speak with the mayor.

"Well, I don't suppose you've heard about our local annoyance?"

"The Naga?" Ethan asked. The Mayor nodded solemnly. "You want me to capture her for you." The Mayor nodded again.

"It's just that, with so few—"

"I get it," Ethan said. "I'll capture her for you. And if you let me keep her, I'll give you a bottle of my hair growth formula."

"Really, now?" the Mayor breathed. A hand unconsciously rubbed the hair that was combed over his bald spot. Ethan leaned in and whispered conspiratorially.

"Really. Guaranteed to work—within a week, you'll have to get the barber to thin it for you."

The Mayor hummed a moment, still stroking the hair.

"Very well," he said. "She's caused no permanent damage, just a few pilfered supplies, so I suppose you can keep her. I'll even toss in a set of restraints from the pokecenter, free of charge."

"Thanks," Ethan said with a bright smile as he handed the portly man a small bottle filled with a dark pink liquid. "Dosage instructions are on the label. Remember, for organic, natural products that you can't get from those cold sterile factories, mail in to Moonlight Natural Remedies."

As the sun slipped towards the west, Ethan and his girls made their way outside the gate just as it was closing for the night, and quickly set up their whole tent about fifty feet away, along the fence. Dinner was food bought from the townsfolk, and as they ate, Ethan fiddled with the little red pokedex. It beeped angrily at him, and he growled back at it.

"Here, Master," Rose said, finally taking pity on her technologically-inept owner. "You push this one, then this one, then this one. That's how you access your bank accounts."

"Thank you, Rose," Ethan said with a glare at the little box he knew would cause him misery. "We've made a fair bit today. Tomorrow, we'll make another pass through the town and then be on our way. Objections?"

There were none.

* * *

><p>A single lamp burned in the darkness, fueled by an efficient and clean-burning oil Ethan had developed four years prior that generated more heat than light. Over the lamp was a beaker filled with a dark liquid whose exact color was indistinguishable in the near-absolute night. Ethan himself was observing the liquid as it heated, taking notes into his leather-bound journal. The dark never bothered him—instead, he considered it a friend, a companion when everyone else was asleep. He took a thermometer and swirled it inside the liquid, taking a note of the temperature.<p>

"Still nothing," he said aloud and turned a valve on the lamp, strengthening the flame. Ethan watched patiently, the lamps flame reflected in his eyes, until a powder like brown snowflakes precipitated out of the liquid, leaving it clear. Ethan took a reading from the thermometer. "Doesn't denature until 180 degrees: not viable in current form," he scribbled into the journal.

The near silence inside the tent enabled him to hear every noise outside, from the hooting of some owl pokegirl to the wind rustling through the trees to the harsh ripping sound that was suspiciously close. Ethan turned the valve on the lamp all the way to the left, extinguishing the flame.

"Girls?" he called softly, barely a whisper, as he cracked open the cloth separating the lab compartment from the rest of the tent, just enough to see through. The canvas that made up the opposite wall now sported a four-foot-long ragged gash, through which the moon's light struck the interior of the tent, reflecting off their table and the folding chairs. Movement on the floor caught his eye, and Ethan saw the thick snake's tail slipping across the tent's floor. His sharp eyes followed it to the head of the pokegirl pushing aside the door to the storage room. From what he could see, she fit what little description the townsfolk had given him when he asked earlier. Ethan backed away and grabbed an atomizer like the ancient perfume bottles and held it before himself like a weapon. He peeked out again and saw the pokegirl was almost entirely in the storage room, just her tail left outside it. Silently, he inched his way out of the lab and along the wall, not taking his eyes from the scaly tail.

"Emma," he whispered urgently when he reached the zippered door to the bedroom. The tail didn't move. "Emma!" No one responded. Slowly he kneeled, looking down only to find the zipper to open the door and gripped it tightly. He looked back to the storeroom and saw that the girl was still rooting around their supplies. He slowly stood, still aiming the atomizer like a weapon, and dragged the zipper up with him. The low grating noise made him wince and stop, but the damage was already done.

"Naaaa," the girl hissed. She twisted around and bared her fangs at Ethan, raising her hands threateningly and dropping the package of crackers she had picked up. Ethan grabbed the bulb and aimed the atomizer at her.

"Emma, Rose, Brandy!" he shouted. Stealth seemed a bit pointless by then. The girl sprang, flashing forward like lightning, and knocked over the chairs. Ethan squeezed the bulb, spraying a cloud of purple vapor in the girl's face.

"Naga!" she spat and rubbed the liquid out of her eyes. Ethan squeezed again and again, spraying the mist in a thick cloud. The Naga swayed after breathing in a hefty amount and flailed her arms through it. Her garnet eyes locked with Ethan's, unfocused and drooping, and she made a final attempt at a lunge. Her tail turned to rubber underneath her and she fell to the tent floor, snorting lightly.

"Master!" Emma called, struggling with the zipper. She finally managed to open it and tumbled through, Brandy jumping out and tripping over the younger girl. "What's wrong?"

"Found the Naga," Ethan said as Emma and Brandy stood, "and dosed her with enough sleep serum to keep her out for at least a couple of hours.

"Cool!" Emma barked and dove into the storage room, returning with an empty pokeball. "Here you go, Master."

"Thanks, Emma," Ethan said. He took it from her and with a grimace, poked the capture trigger to the Naga's shoulder. The snoozing snake-like pokegirl didn't even struggle and a short "ping" announced the successful capture. Ethan picked up the ball, shrunk it, and dropped it into a pocket. Turning to Brandy, Emma, and Rose, he said: "Let's clean up, then go on back to bed. I should be finished by morning, and the gate won't reopen until then, and we can take the Naga down to the pokecenter after mending the tent. What do you think?"

"Sounds good," Rose yawned. She trudged back to the bedroom and a heavy thump sounded when she flopped onto the padded floor. Brandy and Emma joined her and Ethan tucked them back in, zipping the bedroom shut as he left to go back to his lab.

* * *

><p>Ethan stepped into the pokecenter, followed by Brandy, Rose, and Emma, who took up unobtrusive spots in the corner of the lobby. Ethan's slender, pale fingers were wrapped around the pokeball containing the Naga.<p>

"Hello," Sally-Anne, the same NurseJoy as the day before, called. Ethan marched straight to the counter, matching her previous abruptness, and put the pokeball on the table.

"Cleaning and healing cycles, please," Ethan said. He watched out of the corner of his eye as the same kid from yesterday, in the same but decidedly ruffled jeans and t-shirt, entered through the hallway. Sally-Anne took the pokeball and dropped it into the appropriate machines, handing it back when she was done.

"Here you are," she said with false cheer. "Your Naga is perfectly clean and healthy. Is there—"

"HIS WHAT!"

Sally-Anne's mouth snapped shut with a click as Ethan turned to see the kid standing, hands balled into fists at his sides, his round face contorted in rage. His dark eyes were trying to bore holes through Ethan's skull, and the older male quirked a black eyebrow.

"My Naga," he said simply, taking the pokeball and putting it onto his belt. "They mayor asked me to capture her since she's been stealing supplies from travelers." If anything, this made the kid even angrier.

"I was gonna catch her!" the kid shouted. Rose and Brandy stiffened, and Emma growled deep in her throat. Ethan stood unfazed, calmly assessing the situation.

"Perhaps you should have gotten out earlier, instead of spending all day safe in here," Ethan said quietly. The boy's face turned as red as his hair, and Ethan could swear he saw a vein pulsing in his temple.

"I CHALLENGE YOU!" the kid roared, pokeball in hand. "For Salvage! If I win, I get—"

"Toby, you know I don't allow fighting in the lobby," Sally-Anne interrupted with a gentle but forceful voice. "Also, since you only have one pokegirl, you aren't allowed to participate in Salvage battles."

"But—"

"He also has the right to refuse any challenge without material consequence," Rose spoke up, standing at an imposing six and a half feet, especially compared to the kid's five-foot-three. The kid balked and stepped away, before shaking his head and shooting another glare at Ethan.

"You've won this match, but we'll meet again!" he shouted dramatically before turning to head out the door. Any hope of a dramatic exit was thoroughly thrashed when he tripped on his shoelace and fell out of the door to the street.

"Sorry about him," Sally-Anne said. "That's Toby—he just got his license yesterday, right before you."

"It's no trouble," Ethan said. "But I do need to rent a room."

"Ah," Sally-Anne said with a suggestive wink. She fished a key from a drawer in her desk and handed it to him. "Down the hall, up the stairs, number's on the door. Have fun."

* * *

><p>Ethan held the pokeball in his long pale fingers, staring at his warped reflection in the gleaming red and white surface. The others (currently in their own pokeballs) had all agreed that, while they wouldn't like having to share more than they already did, the Naga would be a good addition to the harem, mostly because she would be a steady source of materials. Here he was in the Taming room, the restraints from the mayor already on the sturdy bed and waiting for wrists and a tail to hold, the buckles and straps still shiny and new in the sunlight filtering in through the heavy curtains.<p>

Ethan sighed and depressed the single button. In a flash that lit up the small room, the Naga materialized on the bed, still asleep. With speed but also with a great degree of care he buckled and locked the girl's wrists to the headboard and wrapped the straps around her tail to keep her from constricting around him. He then sat beside her on the bed, gently stroking her arms and down her sides. Her skin was a rich olive, hairless except for her long, dark green mane that splayed about her heart-shaped face like a dark halo, and smooth, but for a number of small scars, too old for the healing machine to have repaired. Her firm breasts, topped by pencil-eraser nipples that were stiffening already in the cool room, were a good handful each. Ethan estimated them to be C-cups.

"Naaa…," she breathed softly as Ethan trailed his fingers over her stomach. Her body undulated upward, pressing into his touch as his hand travelled farther down her long torso. Her slight metamorphic capabilities had already activated, shifting the base of her tail into a pair of slender hips and a length of thigh before fusing into her brown-and-green crosshatched tail. Ethan's hand rubbed the smooth skin there before slowly slithering up to cup a firm breast. The Naga arched her back, pushing her relatively generous chest into his hand. As he rubbed one thumb over her nipple, he brushed the tips of his fingers over her soft lips and down her long and slender neck, looping around her other breast before making a randomly curving path down to circle her navel.

"Naagaaa…," she hissed softly, eyes still shut as Ethan slowly slid his hand lower, rubbing between her thighs and along the outside edges of her mound, teasing her until her glittering garnet eyes shot open and focused on him.

"NAA!" she hissed and bared her fangs at him. Ethan pinched her nipple lightly and rolled it between his fingers. She immediately quieted and chewed her bottom lip.

"I know we aren't meeting under the best of circumstances," Ethan said in a low, reassuring voice, "but if I didn't catch you either someone worse would or would even kill you. Or sell you off to a ranch." The Naga moaned and shot him a lusty gaze.

"Naga," she said firmly and pushed her hips up as far as the restraints would allow. Ethan took the hint and quickly disrobed, tossing his clothes into the corner. Positioning himself was awkward, but he soon found something that was comfortable for both of them.

"Are you ready?" he asked, rubbing the head of his member through her slick folds, teasingly pushing against her entrance. She hissed at him and bucked her hips up. The message was clear. "Alright, I get it."

Ethan pushed forward, slowly but steadily, and slipped into her tight, grasping channel.

"Naaa…," the girl breathed. She arched her back, pushing her firm bosom out to beg for attention. Ethan leaned forward, giving a slow lick around the underside of each perfectly-sized globe as he kept pushing into her, sinking in to the hilt. Her velvety sleeve undulated around him, rippling and trying to pull him in even deeper. She let out a surprised gasp when Ethan captured a nipple and sucked it into his mouth. The restraints rattled as she tried to pull her arms free, and shot him an excited grin when she couldn't. Her grin melted into an expression of pleasure when he slowly pulled out and pushed back in.

"Gah!" she shouted and pushed her hips into him, letting out a soft, continuous hiss as he slowly thrust into her, which only rose in pitch when he flicked his tongue over her nipple. His hands held her slender hips still as he steadily increased the pace, slamming into her again, angled to rub his length against her clit. She gasped and hissed and thrashed her head, the restraints rattling in protest. Ethan switched to her other breast, rolling the nipple between his teeth and tugging sharply. The Naga gasped and bucked her hips on him, a fresh flood of her fluids gushing out around him and pooling on the bed.

"NAGAAA!" the girl screamed in ecstasy, rising and falling with each of Ethan's continued thrusts. Ethan laid a trail of feather light kisses up her neck and back down, adding a sharp nip randomly.

Her whole body shuddering, the Naga writhed in Ethan's grip as he continued his relentless thrusting. Both were panting heavily, sweat beading on their skin. The Naga cried out as a second wave crashed over her and left her fingers and the tip of her tail tingling. The rhythmic contractions around his length were too much for Ethan, and with a deep grunt, he spilled into her grasping sleeve. She moaned and fell limp on the bed, chest heaving, sending her breasts into a pleasant jiggling display. Ethan laid his head next to hers and tenderly kissed her cheek.

"Welcome to the team," he whispered. She shivered as he flicked his tongue across her ear and turned to frantically press her lips to his. He pulled away and slipped out of her, only to receive a hiss at the loss. "Ah-ah. You have to meet your team leader."

Her garnet eyes were half-closed in lust as he picked up his belt and took the first pokeball from it. He, Brandy, and Rose had discussed the plan as they prepared and agreed that Brandy, as the alpha, should be introduced to the new girl right after Ethan. He opened the pokeball and watched as the tiny naked Eva materialized on the edge of the bed.

"Round two?" she asked, taking in his sweating and sticky appearance. He nodded and she turned around to take in the Naga's ragged appearance. The tied girl's garnet eyes took in Brandy's form and she licked her lips. The furred girl leaned in and licked lightly at the Naga's slit, lapping up the salty liquid dribbling out. Her tail wagged happily while the Naga struggled in her restraints and the bed made a few ominous creaking noises. Brandy moved up and teased the Naga's nipples, grinning at the little moan she managed to extract.

"Ready, Master?" she asked Ethan, who had stiffened as he watched. He straddled the tail once again as Brandy positioned herself over the Naga's face. Her cinnamon eyes shot open and she had to catch herself to keep from falling. "Oh, gods, that's a helluva tongue!"

"Enjoy," Ethan chuckled as he positioned himself and slid inside the Naga, who hissed into Brandy's little pussy. Brandy moaned and arched her back, her tiny little nipples engorged and red. Ethan leaned forward and flicked his tongue over them as he thrust into the Naga. That sent the tiny Eva into convulsions as she came on the Naga's face, rolling her hips and grinding into her mouth.

"Ohh, that's good!" she purred. The three continued, Ethan thrusting into the Naga, the Naga thrusting her superbly long tongue into Brandy's tight womanhood. They eventually collapsed in a panting, sweaty heap with Ethan and Brandy on either side of the Naga, still strapped to the bed. Her tongue snaked out and stroked both of their cheeks lovingly.

"I like her, Master," Brandy purred and she nuzzled the larger girl's bosom. The Naga had fallen unconscious shortly after Ethan had released himself into her again.

"I noticed," Ethan said, reaching over to pet her and scratch behind her ear. "Five times?"

"Mmm, six," she corrected with a content purr. Ethan's other hand slipped up and started unbuckling the restraints holding the Naga down. Brandy watched Ethan as he stood and dressed. "Going to go try to sell some more?"

"Yeah," Ethan said. He leaned in and kissed Brandy's cheek. "You keep an eye on her. If she causes trouble, here's her pokeball."

"Yes, Master." She kissed him hotly and molded herself to the Naga's. She held the pokeball close to her chest as the scaled tail coiled around her. "Sell good sales."

"You know it, love." Ethan kissed her cheek again and brushed her hair out of her face. A quick shower later and he was outside, crying his wares to the people of Trail's End.

* * *

><p>Chapter End.<p>

Well, I don't really have any notes for this one. Ethan's got a Naga now, and luckily she's in one of the thirty percent.

Please leave a review. I really would like to know what can be done to improve the writing.


	4. Respect

**A Routine Expedition**

**Chapter Four: Respect**

* * *

><p>Ethan quickly counted the SLC bills and stuffed them into his pocket. He was back in the Taming room at the pokecenter after another afternoon of selling his wares to the town of Trail's End, the lights comfortably dimmed. He stood, leaning against the wall. Brandy was standing next to him in her t-shirt and short shorts. The Naga was coiled on the bed, shooting a satisfied smirk at Ethan. Rose was also on the bed, Emma in her lap, and Emma was batting playfully at the Naga's lazily swaying tail. They had all eaten meals brought up by the pokecenter staff, and all their bags were packed and ready to leave in the morning.<p>

"You're my new Master?" the Naga asked with just a hint of a hiss.

"Yes, I am—if you'll have me, of course," Ethan said with a gentle smile. The Naga nodded. "Alright, then. I'm Ethan Miguel Warden the Seventh. The Eva next to me is Brandy, and the two on the bed are Rose and Emma. Now, tell us about you." The Naga scrutinized him intensely, the smirk fading from her thin lips.

"My last Tamer called me Susan," she said quietly. "He caught me from Feral. I was his least favorite—he was a Battle Tamer, and thought I was not good enough. He tried to train me, but his methods were crude. Ineffective. I trained myself to gain rank, but he cared not for me, no matter how much improved. He stopped in this town for resupply, and left me outside. I take supplies from travelers—then you capture with dirty trick." Ethan couldn't tell if her renewed smirk was admiring or predatory.

"Do you want to keep that name?" Ethan asked. The Naga thought for a moment and said the word aloud several times and accenting different parts before finally nodding happily. "Alright, then, Susan. There are a few things about us you should know: first, I run a business in which I use alchemical processes to render organic remedies for just about anything I can. This is our primary source of income. Second, Brandy is my Apprentice and the Alpha. Her words are mine. Understood?"

"Of course, Masssster," Susan stretched her arms above her head and flicked her long tongue at Brandy. The Eva nearly blushed through her fur at the memory of exactly where that tongue had been and just how good it felt there. Susan winked a garnet eye at her and turned back to Ethan when he cleared his throat.

"Good. Now, I did read the pokedex entry for a Naga before we made camp last night. Aside from it being updated since the last time I read it, I have a few more questions for you," Ethan said in his measured, patient tone. "Would you be willing to let us…milk (I don't want to say 'harvest') various poisons from you in order to make new products?"

"Anything Master desires," she hissed with another wink. Ethan quirked an eyebrow.

"And final question: I know you seemed to respond well to the taming earlier, but odds are still two to one in favor of you being lesbian. Are you?"

"I find men just as attractive as the," she hitched her breath and shot a hungry gaze at Brandy while trailing the tip of her tail down Emma's front, "fairer sex."

"Good," Ethan said with a firm finality. "I tend to leave my girls outside of their pokeballs almost all of the time, barring safety reasons. That being said, you will be expected to carry your own pack and help make and break camp. Understood?" She nodded. "Good. Now, the plan is for you all to sleep tonight, and in the morning we'll resupply, get you some clothes—don't give me that look. You're mine now, and I don't particularly feel like sharing. Resupply, clothes and pack for Susan, and then we head for Farpoint. It's almost a week's journey from here to there, so be prepared. Anyone have any problems?"

There were none, until:

"I don't want to cover up," Susan pouted. She sat up and crossed her arms under her breasts, trying to maximize her cleavage. "We're in warm area. I don't need it."

"You may not," Ethan said, voice like stone, "but it would be wiser to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. You will get clothes, though for now you may simply cover your breasts. Consider that an order."

Susan hissed to herself before begrudgingly saying "Yes, Master."

* * *

><p>The next morning came quickly and found Ethan and his harem walking down the road to the gate. Most of the shops along the main street had already opened, but a few late risers were just setting up shop. Ethan led the group, Brandy latched onto his arm. Emma and Susan were side-by-side behind them, the dark-skinned snake girl tugging at the forest green tube-top that covered her firm breasts. Rose brought up the rear, smiling serenely to herself as her hooves clopped on the cobblestone.<p>

"If we stop for a while en route, we should be able to replenish our stocks," Ethan commented to Brandy. "Farpoint's a lot bigger, and if people are as enthusiastic, we'll need a lot."

"We are running low on—"

"YOU!"

Ethan stopped, his girls coming to a halt behind him, and turned in the direction of the shout. The same kid from the day before stood, his face turning an interesting puce color. Behind him stood a Boobisaur that was glancing nervously from the boy to Ethan and back. She only wore a tartan skirt and a worried expression. Ethan quirked a black eyebrow up as Brandy and Emma shifted into defensive postures.

"Did you want to make a purchase?" Ethan asked. He spoke invitingly and cheerfully, trying to make a sale and potential friend. "It's Toby, right?"

"My name is Tobias!" the kid shouted and stamped his foot on the street. The Boobisaur put a hand on his shoulder and he calmed slightly. "But yeah. I wanna buy that Naga."

Ethan glanced back at Susan, who was fidgeting and craning her neck to see what was happening. "Sorry, but she's not for sale or trade. Can I interest you in some healing tinctures? Five drops applied directly to the wound is half again as effective as any store-bought potion."

"I don't want any of that," Tobias growled. "I want the Naga. I swore I was gonna catch her as soon as I got my license."

"Then maybe you should have," Ethan said with a forced grin. "If you don't want to purchase any of our products, we have to get going. Good day." He turned to the gate and the girls fell in behind him—Susan, he noticed, with a degree of reluctance.

"I challenge you to a Salvage battle!" Tobias shouted after him. Ethan stopped and turned back to face the annoying kid. The younger male had pushed his Boobisaur in front of him and glared at Ethan. Susan hissed at her and held up her clawed hands menacingly.

"Look, kid," Ethan said wearily. "We went over this yesterday. You can't call a Salvage battle when you only have one girl. I can refuse any challenge. I will refuse any challenge, for the simple reason that I'm not trying to get badges or win championships or any of that—I'm trying to keep my business afloat and my girls fed." Susan turned back to look at Ethan, her slender eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "If you're that desperate to find a Naga, go look for one. Go out into those woods and search. Now, leave me be."

Ethan turned and walked for the gate, Brandy and Emma each taking hold of an arm. Rose trotted after them, followed by Susan, who was hissing to herself and shooting glances at Ethan.

* * *

><p>Travel was paced and laid-back. They only used the smaller tent, setting up overnight camps in the cleared-out areas the League tried to maintain for tamers on their journeys and leaving the next morning, until they reached the half-way point between Trail's End and Farpoint, when they set up the full tent with intentions to stay and work in Ethan and Brandy's travel lab. The two were in the lab, setting up the equipment on the folding table with practiced hands while Susan watched from the door.<p>

"I had a few ideas for nutritional supplements we could make from Cunnydew nectar," Brandy said as she tightened the clamps on the wire rack. "And they're common enough that we won't have any trouble finding some."

"Good," Ethan said. He was leafing through the few journals he was able to bring with him. "We'll go hunting tomorrow. For now I just want to get camp set up."

"Yes, Master," Brandy said. She leaned over and kissed Ethan's cheek. Ethan gently scratched behind her ear, leaving her with a quivering tail and a look of bliss as he made a few notes in the journal and closed it. He stood and adjusted his goggles.

"We should check on Rose and Emma," he said as he turned to exit. "Oh! Hello, Susan."

"Master," Susan hissed with a polite bow. She moved aside to let Ethan out of the lab and into the center room of the tent, making his way around the small table in the middle. Susan looked at the long scar in the canvas that made up the wall, stitched back together after she had clawed her way in to get to their supplies. She turned to Brandy, who was still adjusting the glassware.

"Do you need something, Susan?" Brandy asked, turning to look at the much larger girl. Susan stared at her blankly.

"No, Brandy," she said. "Is it true what Master said?"

"Probably," Brandy said. "I've known Ethan my whole life, and he's never once lied to me." Susan tilted her head to the side.

"You call Master by name?"

"Well, yeah," Brandy said. "Kinda. He's asked all of us to just call him Ethan, but I call him Master because I'm his apprentice, and out of respect. Rose and Emma have their own reasons."

"I see…," Susan watched Brandy as she packed a satchel and a backpack with several empty bottles and some tools. She frowned and the tip of her tail flicked in agitation. "How many battles have you won?"

"Battles?" Brandy's ears flattened. "We haven't fought any. Like Ethan said earlier, we're just trying to make a living, not go picking a fight with anyone that comes along."

Susan's frown deepened as she thought about this.

* * *

><p>Ethan and Brandy followed Emma, who was on all fours, sniffing along the ground.<p>

"There's not a lot of people scents, Master," Emma reported. "Some titmice…and some kind of cat."

"A Boobcat, maybe?" Brandy asked with a worried glance upwards. Emma sat back on her ankles and shook her head.

"It's old," the Growlie said. She circled around them and snuffled along the leafy forest floor. "At least a week."

"We'll keep an eye out," Ethan said. "Can you smell anything we're looking for?"

She nodded and wagged her tail as she led them deeper into the forest. By now Ethan estimated they were at least a mile and a half from the campsite, where they had left Rose and Susan to guard the tent. He was curious about some of Brandy's ideas, and intended to find a few feral Cunnydews to gather raw materials from for her proposed experiments, as well as other pokegirls to make their usual stuff.

"Master!" Brandy whispered urgently and pointed ahead of them. A pale green girl with darker green markings and white hair was several feet up a tree, lying across a thick branch and seemingly napping. Ethan looked around her and spotted only the one Cunnydew.

"Okay," he whispered, "she's not that high up, and looks like we can climb up pretty easily. Just sneak up on her and hold her down while Emma gets her going."

Unfortunately for him, the Cunnydew suddenly sprang up and barreled down the branch, jumping into another tree.

"I got her!" Emma shouted and tore off like a shot after the green girl. Brandy and Ethan ran after her, barely able to keep up through the thick trees. Ethan quickly lost sight of the surprisingly fast Cunnydew, and was just barely able to track Emma's blond mane.

"WHOA!" Brandy shouted when she tripped over Emma, who had suddenly stopped at the edge of a clearing around a tree much larger than the others. The Cunnydew was running for the tree as Ethan skidded to a halt behind his girls and all three stared into the clearing.

"This…certainly complicates things," Ethan said. The tree was the backbone of a huge Buzzbreast hive, and at least thirty of the bee girls were hovering around, tending to the Cunnydew "farm" they had made, and to which Ethan's intended source of ambrosia had fled. Several Buzzbreasts had turned when Brandy tripped, and more looked at them as she scrambled back behind Emma. Buzzing filled the air as the insectile girls lifted off from their perches and hovered over to Ethan and his girls. "We should run."

The Buzzbreasts slowly closed the gap between them. Emma, Brandy, and Ethan still hadn't moved.

"RUN!" Ethan roared with a hard tug on his girls' arms. "RUN! NOW!" All three of them shot off back the way they had come, stumbling over roots and having to dodge around trees. A quick glance behind proved that the Buzzbreasts were chasing them, at least two dozen of them, easily slipping around the trees and slowly catching up. This spurred them to run faster, but to their misfortune, thick bushes grew between the trees and further hobbled their escape attempt. Blood pounded in Ethan's ears, his heart racing, a stitch forming in his side as he pushed himself harder, trying to keep up with Emma and Brandy.

"MASTER!" Brandy suddenly screamed as a root caught her sneaker-clad foot and pulled it out from under her. The tiny Eva fell to the ground with a whimper, clutching at her knee and elbow with a hiss of pain. Ethan slid down beside her and was instantly checking for serious injury while Emma doubled back to protect her Master and harem-sister from the approaching swarm. Her golden eyes were uncertain, but determined as she stood between them and the Buzzbreasts. An Ember attack was on her lips, ready to hit the first bee girl that got within range when suddenly the world turned red and she felt the capture beam of a pokeball.

"Plan B," Ethan told Brandy as he put Emma's ball on his belt and quickly returned her to her own. With the Buzzbreasts only seconds away, he dove under a nearby bush, where he curled up into as small a ball as he could and concentrated on pretending he didn't exist. The buzzing of the gossamer wings roared in his ears as the Buzzbreasts zoomed overhead. He didn't see anything, his eyes shut tight as he slowly tried to push himself deeper into the bush's shadow. The Buzzbreasts kept going, seemingly not having noticed him. Ethan cracked open his eyes, looking out from under the bush. The world had lost its color, a side-effect when he used his Chameleon blood gift, but he could make out the forms of the Buzzbreasts moving on in a straight line, having passed over his hiding place completely. He let out the breath he'd been holding for fear they would hear it and relaxed. The world filled with color and he crawled out from under the bush, standing up just in time to collide with someone and fall back down.

"Sorry," he apologized and looked up to see a girl rubbing her backside. She was completely naked, with lightly-tanned skin and dirty blond hair. She looked up and spotted Ethan, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Rina!" she shouted, suddenly throwing her arms forward and releasing a cloud of sparkling pink powder in Ethan's face. He coughed and choked on it as the girl spun around and ran off. This left Ethan on all fours, hacking up a lung in an attempt to get that dust out of his system, but it was too late: a warm tingling spread over him as he started to shiver uncontrollably. His bones creaked, his joints popped as his skeleton adjusted. His hips widened, waist tapered. The fine, dark hairs on his legs retracted back into his softening pale skin, along with the thin stubble on his jaw and all the other hair that wasn't on his head. He groaned with a new, higher-pitched voice, making it more of a sultry moan. His straight black hair lengthened, the tips dangling along the ground as he felt his manhood pull itself inside-out and retreat into him, forming a small womanhood as his scrotum flattened and formed a pair of vulva. A few of his organs sloshed around inside him, along with a hundred other tiny little changes, until finally, the flesh under his nipples swelled, pushing out into a pair of firm breasts that were a decent handful each.

"Whoa…," Ethan breathed out and slowly stood. His shoes were loose on his smaller, dainty feet. His already-baggy shirt fell further, the top showing a tiny bit of the soft curve of his breasts. He pushed his hair out of his face and noticed that his wider hips held up his pants easily, but he tightened his belt around his narrow waist anyway. He examined his hands—they had already been slender and long-fingered, but now seemed even more so, and even smaller. He let out a soft sigh and said to himself, "I think that's enough for today."

Quickly, he released Brandy and Emma from their pokeballs. They stood back-to-back, eyes searching and ears straining for any sign of the Buzzbreasts.

"They're gone," Ethan said in a higher, but not very much so, voice. The girls turned to him and jerked in surprise. Emma growled softly and sniffed at him while Brandy stared hard. They glanced back to each other and then back at him.

"Master!" The pounced on him, pushing him back into the bush and kissing his cheeks.

"Master, what happened?" Brandy asked as Emma buried her face in his slender neck. "Did the Buzzbreasts—"

"No, love, I'm fine," Ethan reassured her. He rubbed around the base of her ears and kissed her cheek. "I just bumped into a Dildorina that used Gender Dust on me. I'll be fine by this time tomorrow."

"Sorry, Master," Emma whined and nuzzled his shoulder.

"Don't apologize," Ethan said firmly. "Let's go back to the camp. I think we've had enough excitement for one day, don't you?"

* * *

><p>Unfortunately, Fate did not agree. While no more Ferals jumped out at them (though many titmice and pidgies were content to watch from the foliage), the three heard heated voices as soon as they could see the campsite.<p>

"They're obviously feral!"

"Dude, they're in a tent. They're talking. The Ponytaur has a collar. They obviously already belong to someone." Ethan and Brandy traded worried looks and hurried to the dirt patch of a campsite. Their own tent was intact, Rose in her centauroid form standing guard by the entrance, and Susan presumably inside. A pair of smaller tents—neon nylon monstrosities—had been set up in a line with theirs, and a cooking fire had been built between them. Two boys were tending it and arguing. One Ethan recognized as Tobias; the other he had seen in Trail's End, but never spoken to.

"The Naga doesn't have a collar," Tobias grumbled and poked at the modest flames. "I was gonna catch her, too."

"If you try it, that's theft," the other boy said. "And I [i]will[/i] have to turn you in to the next Jenny I find. Leave them alone."

"I should've—"

"Oi!" Ethan shouted. The two boys jumped and turned to him. Ethan glared at Tobias, hands on his rounded hips. "This is strike two. Stay away from my tent or the law will get involved."

"Who the hell are you?" Tobias demanded. He stood and tried to puff up his scrawny chest into something intimidating. Ethan, who was still taller than him despite losing six inches in height, was unfazed.

"I am Ethan Miguel Warden the Seventh," he said with heavy bravado. "You are pushing on harassment. Listen to your friend before you end up in jail."

"Nuh-uh!" Tobias grinned wildly. "I caught another girl earlier, so now you have to accept a Salvage battle!" Rather than argue with the kid, Ethan simply led his girls, followed by Rose in her humanoid form, into their tent and zipped the door shut behind them.

"I take it you had some fun out there?" Rose smirked at him. Ethan stuck his tongue out at her and she giggled daintily. "That's so cute."

"Funny. Did the kid do anything?"

"No, Master," Rose reported. "He just came in with the other tamer and had his Boobisaur set up his camp. And Susan tried to tell me you said she was in charge."

"I said no such thing." Ethan sighed and put his bag on the small table.

"I know, Master." Rose stepped closer and put her strong arms around him. "So what happened out in the woods, where Auntie Rosie couldn't help?"

Ethan told her about finding the Cunnydew, being chased by the swarm, and finally the Dildorina that had dusted him. She did a remarkable job of restraining her laughter until Ethan finished.

"And now we're back here," Ethan finished. Brandy and Emma had prepared a meal out of their dried foods and water they had brought, and all five had gathered around the table in the center tent. A quick glance out of one of the mesh windows showed that the sky was rapidly covering with dark, foreboding clouds and the rumble of thunder.

"Now it's gonna be all humid," Emma complained with a soft growl. Already her hair was frizzing and her fur standing on end. Brandy was in a similar state, and Susan's dark green tresses were turning into a wild mane.

"We'll stay inside tonight. Relax a bit, while Brandy, Susan and I get some lab work done," Ethan said as he finished his portion. The tiny Eva bounced into the lab section as Susan shot Ethan a sultry smirk. She followed him closely as he entered the lab and cleaned his hands and arms and shrugged on a long, stained old labcoat. Brandy was wearing one similar, though it only reached down to the tops of her thighs. She had already gathered collection vials and placed them in a line on the lightweight table.

"Are we going to have fun while we work, Master?" Susan hissed as she trailed a hand down Ethan's spine. He flinched away and turned back to her.

"Sorry, Susan," he said, his dainty, pale cheeks slightly flushed. "I'm not all that comfortable with the idea right now. But when I say lab work, I mean work. Brandy and I will do the complicated rendering and putrefaction, but you're the important one in this job."

"And why is that, Master?" Susan asked, trying to hide her disappointment. She had been looking forward to playing with this new body her Master had. Ethan held up one of the collection vials and gently laid his hand on her head.

"You, Susan, are going to provide us with as many samples of your venom as you can. We'll then use that to make various things and bits to sell so that we can buy food, clothes, and other supplies."

"Why not sell Ferals?" Susan asked as if this were an obvious solution. "You are a tamer. That is your job. Did you catch any of the Buzzbreast or the Dildorina?"

"I was a bit preoccupied," Ethan said shortly and tied his longer hair, which reached his narrow waist, into a simple ponytaur tail. "So no, I didn't catch any. What poison do you have loaded?"

"Lust Bite, Master," Susan frowned and crossed her arms under her breasts. "You wouldn't fight that child either. How do you expect to get stronger?"

"Strength isn't just measured in kills and wins," Ethan said grimly. He instructed Susan to fill up the vial with her venom, and continued filling the others until she ran out. He handed them to Brandy, who quickly labeled them, and turned back to the Naga. "I want you to switch to one of your other venoms. I don't really care which, but a different one. We'll take it in a week, so it won't be laced with the Lust Bite."

"Yes, Master," Susan said, as if she had just bitten into something particularly sour and bitter. Ethan sighed and stared into her garnet eyes.

"Susan, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I became a tamer because the league thinks that for the owner and workers of a company to have a tradesman's license, they need to have at least three human employees or a corporate sponsor. I have one human worker and I will not sell out to those faceless bureaucrats and jackals that are only interested in profit. Is any of that unclear?"

Susan stared at him, her slit pupils not betraying any emotion she felt. Finally, in a flat, toneless voice, she answered.

"I understand, Master," she said, as if she had come to a decision.

* * *

><p><strong>End of Chapter<strong>

Well, there's Chapter Four. A bit late, I know, but hey. Work sucks.

Anyway, notes for this chapter: Feel free to point out any my beta or I didn't find in this one.

Do please leave a review here, for they are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

Other than that, I can't think of anything.


	5. Old Wounds and New Wisdom

**A Routine Expedition**

**Chapter Five: Old Wounds and New Injuries**

* * *

><p>The rain started that night, and carried through the next day with no signs of stopping. Ethan and his girls mostly stayed in the tent, except for Rose, who greatly enjoyed running as fast as she could through the glittering droplets. Cabin Fever had quickly set in for Emma, who ran out to join Rose and "play" with a few weaker water types that came out in the rain. Ethan and Brandy continued working in the lab, using the newly-collected venom to make certain marital aides, and also a few experiments to find ways to counteract it. Because of temperature drop brought on by the rain, Susan had become sluggish and lazy, barely uncoiling enough to interact with the others.<p>

When she did speak to them, she was sarcastic, biting, and surly—a significant change from her earlier self, Ethan noted. As she was not talking except for the occasional snarky remark, he decided to wait before bringing up the issue. That afternoon, Ethan painlessly changed back to his normal male self. Even though Brandy and Rose had both pointed it out as an opportunity to learn about the different sensations that a girl feels, he simply was not comfortable with the idea of taming them as a girl, and so they let the topic drop.

The rain continued that night, as Ethan sat in the center tent, a single candle lit on the table. He had the old picture in his hand again, looking down at the black-haired man, his father. He wondered what that man did when he started out on his journey armed with only a pair of twin Evas, a pokedex, and overconfidence. Ethan snorted and thought that a bit of confidence would probably do him some good.

"Master?" Ethan looked up to see Brandy in the fabric doorway, her shoulder-length hair mussed and the shirt she used as a nightgown (one of his, he noticed) rumpled.

"Is something wrong?" Ethan asked in a calm voice. He held his arms out to her, and she pounced into his lap and wrapped her arms and legs around him. She sobbed quietly into his chest, and he gently hugged her to him, running a hand along her spine to massage the base of her tail. He whispered encouragements and reassurances into her drooping ear, knowing from past experience to just hold her as close as he could and make sure she knew she had him. After a long while, the sobbing ebbed, though Brandy still held onto him like she was afraid he would disappear if she let go.

"Sorry, Ethan," she whimpered. Ethan hugged her to him and kissed the top of her head.

"Nothing to apologize for, love. Now tell me what's wrong."

Brandy sniffled and looked up to him.

"I had a nightmare," she said simply, looking like a small child who had crawled into her parents' bed in the middle of the night. "We were fighting, and a Widow…." The rest was muffled gibberish as she buried her face in Ethan's chest. He held her close.

"Don't worry, love," Ethan whispered to her. "We're never going to fight one of those. We're going to just run away and keep you and Rose and Emma safe."

"And you?"

"And me. I'm never going to make you fight."

"Promise?" Brandy looked up at him, eyes still shining with tears. Ethan nodded solemnly and kissed her nose.

"Promise." Ethan gave her a reassuring smile. Brandy pressed her tiny, frail frame into him, almost swallowed up by his oversized dark clothes. Her arms and legs wrapped around his torso as she nuzzled her cheek against his neck. He nibbled on her ear, producing little myewls that were the sexiest thing Ethan had ever heard. She dragged her fingers down his back, her small claws tugging at his shirt and leaving bright red marks on his pale skin. A small grin graced her lips as she felt him hardening in his trousers.

"Ethan…," she purred, "I want you."

"I want you," he growled softly and kissed his way down her neck. She gasped and slipped a hand between them to unfasten Ethan's pants. Soon, he gently laid her on the soft floor of the tent, tenderly kissing and holding her. She ran her tiny fingers through his hair and planted a field of feather-light kisses over his face and neck. He lowered himself on her, no clothing to hinder or words to distract as he combed his fingers through her short, thick fur. She splayed her slender legs, her tiny pussy glistening in the candlelight. Ethan kissed down her neck and rubbed the head of his tool along her slit. It was quickly slickened by her gushing juices, and with a quick questioning glance to her, answered by a nod and a smile, he carefully pushed into her. She gasped and he grunted as his average length, but rather thick manhood slid into her tight, soft sheathe.

"Ohhh, Ethan," Brandy purred and draped her thin arms over his shoulders and arched her back, pushing her nearly-flat chest into his. One of his strong but still thin arms snaked around her waist to support her as he pushed all the way inside. She moaned and the two stayed still, basking in each other's embrace, warm bodies not feeling the cold of the outside. They were each other's worlds; nothing else could distract them as they kissed tenderly, passionately, hungrily, and lovingly. They mated slowly, without concern for time, as Ethan slowly slid into her and back out, her slick walls contracting around his length as she whimpered in his ear. She hooked her legs behind his waist and dug her heels into the small of his back like spurs, urging him to go faster.

"Please, Master!" she growled in his ear and bucked her hips up to meet him. He obliged her and thrust faster into her tight, squeezing womanhood. She moaned as he nipped at her ears and along the hinge of her jaw, almost ten years' experience guiding him to best stimulate her most sensitive spots. Soon, she was a quivering, panting mess, moaning incoherently as her Master pounded into her. She clutched him to her, and he grunted softly as he felt his end approaching. Brandy squealed as he swelled inside her and released, his hot seed filling her up.

Ethan laid himself beside her and they hugged tightly, both panting heavily. Brandy straddled Ethan and laid her head on his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, and purred softly. His arms wrapped around her and held her close as their breathing slowed.

"Th…Thank you, Ethan," she whispered. Ethan petted her lovingly.

"Anything for you, love," he said. They lay in a comfortable silence for a while. "What was the count?"

"Lost count," Brandy giggled. "Couldn't think."

Ethan grinned and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Brandy."

"I love you, Master."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Brandy was barely more than an arm's reach away from Ethan. While Emma was blissfully ignorant of the shifted mood, Rose picked up on it easily. After a pointed glance from Ethan, she held her tongue. He would tell her later, if it was important.<p>

The rain continued for the rest of the day, not slacking even slightly. Having used up all the raw materials on hand, Ethan and the rest of his girls passed the time playing with a worn out old deck of cards at the table in the center tent. Ethan and Brandy teamed up against Rose and Emma for Bridge, all of them chatting and joking as they tossed cards around. The jovial mood ended when a sudden pained scream cut through the pattering of the rain on the canvas of the tent. They froze and listened, and were able to make out muffled shouting and groaning. Instantly, they rushed to the door of their tent and looked out to see one of the other tents had been reduced to a smoking skeleton of aluminum poles, and a cluster of people were gathered around a form on the muddy ground nearby.

"What happened?" Ethan demanded as he ran over. Tobias, the other boy, and a Catgirl kneeled around the girl on the ground. Ethan dropped next to them and gently pressed his fingers to her neck. A glance down her side revealed the signature bulb of a Boobisaur and one of the worst burns Ethan had seen in person. Her heart rate was almost twice normal and weak, but steady. He leaned down to listen to her breathing when a hand grabbed his shoulder and roughly through him back into the mud.

"Get off her!" Tobias roared, standing imperiously over Ethan. Emma growled threateningly and Brandy bared her small but sharp teeth. The other boy stood and put a hand on Tobias' shoulder, which was angrily shrugged off.

"I'm trying to help," Ethan barked back with a glare. His eyes flashed in the dim light and Emma let out a warning yip. "She has severe burns and is going into shock. The nearest pokecenter is three days away. I have medical supplies and training. Let me help."

"Please, help her," the other boy said before Tobias could open his mouth. Ethan waved Rose over and the two of them gingerly lifted the Boobisaur and carried her to his tent. Brandy darted ahead and cleared off the table before darting into the lab and returning with their first aid kit and several bottles of green powder suspended in a clear yellow liquid. They carefully laid her on her side, the angry cracked burn exposed. Emma stood in the door of the tent and kept the others out. Ethan and Brandy gently but quickly cleaned the burns and applied the medicine to the raw flesh. By the time they finished over an hour later, her pained grunts and groans had turned into soft snoring, and her grimace had softened into peaceful sleep. Her entire right side and arm were covered in bandages, but her ragged breathing had calmed and smoothed.

Ethan collapsed into one of the chairs and Brandy dropped to the floor and laid her head in his lap. Emma waved Tobias in and the young boy was instantly at the table, gently caressing his Boobisaur's cheek. Ethan watched him, taking in the worried expression on his round face.

"How is she?" the other boy asked. He and his Catgirl had followed Tobias in, and Ethan finally got a good look at him. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a square jaw and powerful voice. Ethan sighed and pet Brandy's ear.

"I've cleaned and dressed the wounds. The medicine I used will regenerate her skin and nerve endings, but with that much damaged tissue, there'll be a bit of scarring." Ethan watched as Rose and Emma distracted the Catgirl, a small amused grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I also gave her a bit of a sleep aid, which should keep her out for at least another six hours. She'll need lots of rest and sunlight, and she probably shouldn't move too much."

"Thank you," the boy said. "You didn't have to do this. I know my younger brother's been a bit of a pain to you lately. I'm Jake, by the way."

"It hasn't been that bad," Ethan said. "What happened, though? I saw what was left of a tent."

"This is his first time out of Trail's End," Jake said with a sad shake of his head. "The little idiot thought it would be a good idea to light a fire inside his tent. It spread, and I guess the tent was still putting off some fumes, 'cause man, the whole thing almost went up at once. Didn't think it'd do that with as wet as it is, but hey. Next thing I know, he's got the girl outside and putting out her fire."

Ethan sat still, petting Brandy as if his mind was somewhere else.

"And you know," Jake continued, "you really didn't have to do this. If he'd put her in her pokeball and we left as soon as there was light, we could have gotten to that pokecenter. So why'd you do it?" Ethan glanced at Tobias, who was whispering to the Boobisaur and wasn't paying a bit of attention to them. He waved a hand at Rose and she ducked into the lab for a moment.

"This way," Ethan said as Rose returned and handed him a clipboard, on which Ethan began scribbling furiously, "he owes me. Speaking of owing me, there is the matter of how much of our Burn Heal we had to use, plus the bandages, sleep serum, and effort on our part…." Ethan looked up to see an unreadable look on Jake's face, and outright disbelief on Tobias'. Apparently he had started listening in. Ethan gave them both an evil grin and tore off the top sheet, which they both saw was an order form. He handed it to Tobias and smirked. "My bill."

With a look of betrayal, Tobias took the slip with shaking hands and looked at what was written in the little blocks:

"Use your common sense, kid—fire is a bad thing in an enclosed, flammable space.

Treat your girls well and you'll have loyal and loving companions. Do careless things

like this and you'll find yourself with an empty box come next Sadie Poken's Day.

Stop bugging us about the Naga (her name is Susan, by the way) and try not to do

anything stupid, and I'll consider us even."

Tobias looked up to Ethan in confusion. The older man smiled and serenely petted his alpha.

"Your pokegirls are more than just sex dolls or bioweapons—they're living, sentient beings. Treat them as such." Ethan stood and put his chair in their storeroom. "If you have any supplies left, you can keep them in here, and stay in this room. I'll be keeping an eye on her through the night."

"Th-thank you," Tobias said in a small voice.

"We're out in the middle of nowhere," Ethan said. "We need to help each other."

"Right," Jake agreed and clapped his brother on the back. "We saved everything in your pack, but you'll need a new tent when we get to Farpoint."

"Thanks," Tobias said earnestly. "Really, thanks."

* * *

><p>The rain finally stopped a few hours before dawn. Ethan had spent the time playing solitaire and checking on the Boobisaur, while his girls had slept in their bedroom and Tobias had stretched out on the floor. For a small guy, he certainly snored like an Elephuk. Even if he needed to, Ethan doubted he would be able to sleep with the extra noise.<p>

"Do you ever sleep?" Susan hissed softly. Ethan turned to see her approaching, her tail silent on the coated fabric floor.

"Nope," Ethan said as he dealt out another game. He gestured to his side in an invitation to join him. "So where were you during all the excitement?"

"Sleeping," Susan said shortly. She remained standing and looked down at Ethan. "Why did you help them? They are competition."

"They're people," Ethan said just as shortly. "He did something stupid, and now he's not going to do it again. And hopefully, we made a friend." Susan snorted at that and put her hands on her hips.

"We shouldn't be making friends," she snarled. "We should be training. Fighting. Conquering."

"I am not a fighter. I'm a businessman. If you don't like it, Sadie Poken's day is in two months," Ethan turned back to his cards. "Do what you like then, but in the meantime, you're still my pokegirl and you will still help."

"Yes, Master," Susan hissed softly and retreated to the bedroom tent.

"I wasn't finished," Ethan said. Susan stopped and turned back to face him, finding him staring at her with a softer look in his eyes. "I still expect you to help, but I also want you to like it with us. I know you've been having a bit of trouble adjusting, so I'm asking you what we can do to make that adjustment easier for you."

Susan tilted her head to the side and stared at him for a long while.

"I want to challenge a Gym."

* * *

><p><strong>End of Chapter<strong>


	6. Scars

**A Routine Expedition**

**Chapter Six: Scars**

* * *

><p>In a dark office, a man sat behind a desk. The office was spacious, with fine wood paneling and thick carpet. The walls were sparsely decorated with a few potted plants, except for the wall behind the desk, which was a floor to ceiling plate glass window. The desk was wide and sturdy, a pre-Sukebe work of art that had been hidden away during the war. Files and papers were strewn about its polished mahogany surface: blueprints for a warehouse, several chemical analysis reports, and a folder with a photograph clipped to the front of it. The man picked up the folder with the photograph and spun slowly round to look out the window. The view of the city's shining towers in the night was dazzling; the masterpiece of human engineering was spectacular.<p>

The artificial light of the streetlamps and offices cast a sickly yellow glow on the man's pointed face, throwing a faint scar across his cheek into sharp relief. His black hair was slicked back in a style reminiscent of the ancient gangster movies, and his eyes—like scalpels that had been left overnight in a freezer—cut across the horizon, taking in the sights. He opened the folder, laying it in his lap, and glanced through the papers inside. Most of it he had seen before, except for the recently-done psyche report, and the form stating a capture. With a soft exhalation, the man closed the file and looked at the photograph.

"You are much like your father indeed," the man said. He tapped a finger on the picture, prodding at the subject's straight black hair. "I wonder if you will die the same way…."

* * *

><p>Many miles away, Ethan and his pokegirls were only a couple of hours' walk from Farpoint. Ethan and Brandy led the small group, whispering to each other as they marched.<p>

"It may be the only way to keep her," Brandy said. "But…maybe we should think about letting her go" Ethan whipped his head to give her a disapproving frown. "I don't mean abandon her like her last tamer did. I mean…well, there are a lot of other tamers that are in it for the fight, and if that's what she wants, then maybe we could…sell her to one."

"I am _not_ going to just throw her away when she becomes inconvenient," Ethan said firmly. "I want her to be happy with us, so we'll try a gym battle."

"But Master, we've never even been in a regular battle before! We'll lose!"

"You all help with Ferals. I know you have it in you." Ethan's words sounded rehearsed, almost hollow. "We'll just do it this once, for Susan. If she wants to leave after that, then we'll let her."

"I don't want to fight," Brandy whimpered, hugging Ethan tightly. He held her and whispered into her long, furred ear.

"You don't have to, love," he told her. "You'll never have to fight for me."

"I hope you're right, Master."

Behind them, Rose was watching with a far-off look in her emerald eyes. She plodded on resolutely, unbothered by her heavy load, but her mind was deep in old memories.

"…okay? Rose?"

"Sorry, what?" Rose snapped back to the present and looked down to see Emma tugging on her arm. "What did you say?"

"I asked if you're okay," Emma said. "You were looking off somewhere."

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I was just thinking of my last tamer." Susan, who had spent nearly the entire hike hissing and grumbling to herself, turned to Rose.

"You had owner before…master?" she asked with a bit of distaste. Rose frowned and glared down at the Naga.

"That's not your business. I'm Ethan's now, and it's my job—all of our jobs—to help him with whatever he wants to do. We don't dictate terms."

The two glared at each other for a moment.

"We are pokegirls," Susan said simply. "Pokegirls fight."

* * *

><p>Farpoint was a fair-sized town with a population hovering around 60 thousand human and pokegirls living there. The whole town was centered around the Farpoint Gym, with even a semi-annual festival celebrating the Gym, its leader and his accomplishments. There were novelty stands, local treats, shops, businesses—all revolving around the Farpoint Gym. The town even had three pokecenters with a fourth dedicated specifically to the Gym staff and challengers. Seemingly everything to do with this town was related in some way to the Gym.<p>

Ethan, therefore, was quite frustrated with how no one that he asked gave him any useful information.

"What do you mean, you don't know anything about the match?" Rose stamped a hoof in irritation and glared down at Ethan. They were standing outside the South Farpoint Pokecenter, watching a few passerbies staring at the group.

"Apparently local custom is to not tell travelling Tamers anything about the Gym or Gym Leader other than where it is and who to call to issue a challenge." Ethan had spent nearly four hours getting the same answer from everyone he asked. "I finally called them, and they said they have an open slot tomorrow."

"How do we get ready if we don't know anything?" Emma asked from where she was sprawled across Brandy's lap in a nearby bench. "You always said to never jump into something without knowing what's at the bottom."

"I know," Ethan said. Rose shifted from hoof to hoof, her tail flicking in agitation. Susan, who had been listening intently, was conversely nearly vibrating in excitement.

"We have short time to prepare!" She darted into the middle of the group and pointed at Rose. "You need more attacks! Practice, Horse! Dog!" She rounded on Emma, who started and rolled from Brandy's lap onto the ground with a yelp. "Practice fire attacks and—"

In a flash of red, Susan disappeared into her pokeball. Brandy lowered it with a grimace.

"This is going well," she said. Ethan shook his head and led the girls into the pokecenter.

"Come on," he said. "We should get a room for the night."

* * *

><p>Ethan stepped into the Tamer's Booth at the Challenger's End of the Stadium. It had enough room for him to stand, with a pair of computer screens in front of him and a radio headset to his left. Rose, Emma, and Susan were in a chamber below him, being outfitted with similar headsets. He looked out over the Arena—it was a 50-meter-long by 35-meter-wide rectangle, with two tamer's booths centered opposite each other in the short walls, about three meters above the concrete floor. 3-meter-tall concrete columns dotted the arena floor in alternating rows, acting as obstacles and breaking up lines of sight across the floor. A booth higher up than the tamer booths was imbedded in the wall to Ethan's right and held the referee.<p>

Surrounding the whole area was a soundproof, bulletproof, attack-proof, foolproof Plexiglas barrier. Behind that were the stands, filled with people eager to see the challenger get beat down. The computer screens in front of Ethan said to put on the radio headset. He did (after a few mistries at getting it to hook properly around his ear), just in time to hear the referee ask if he was ready to begin.

"I am," Ethan said.

"Very well," the referee said, the radio barely distorting his voice. "I want to remind you that your radios are being broadcast to the audience. Please refrain from inappropriate comments or foul language. The rules are as follows: both parties are limited to three pokegirls each. All three will battle at once. Battle will end when one party's pokegirls are all unable to battle. Tamers are not legal targets. Tamers may not enter the arena floor. There are no forbidden techniques. There are no other rules. Does the challenger have any questions?

"None," Ethan said.

"Does the Challenger accept the rules as stated?"

"I do."

"Very well. Gentlemen, your pokegirls will now be released into the ring."

* * *

><p>Susan stared at the doors to the arena, not moving, barely blinking. In the corner of the small room, Rose was helping Emma with the earpieces they all had to wear. Emma's was modified for her canine ears, but otherwise all were lightweight, unobtrusive earpiece, with short arms holding a microphone against their cheeks.<p>

"Hold still, Emma," Rose said as she tried to get the earpiece on.

"But it's about to staaart!" Emma was bouncing eagerly and making a few playful jabs. Rose finally clipped the earpiece on and let go of the hyperactive Growlie before quickly hooking her own earpiece around her ear.

"Remember," Rose said. "We have to work together if we want to actually win this."

A sign came on near the door that informed them the match would begin in ten seconds and to turn on their radios. They did, just in time to hear an unfamiliar male say "Gentlemen, your pokegirls will now be released into the ring." The door Susan had been staring at for the past five minutes swung open and bright light spilled into the room. Susan burst out onto the arena floor, followed quickly by Emma and (at a more measured pace) Rose.

Susan stared around her, not seeing any movement in the forest of concrete posts. She knew her prey was out there, in this artificial hunting ground. There was no place to hide. Nothing to block her sense of smell. Nowhere to run. All she had to do was poison them once, and Victory would be hers. The Dog ran past her, eagerly bounding between the pillars with her tail wagging like an idiot. The Horse was no better; she shouted something Susan ignored before following the Dog. Susan scoffed at them and slid into the concrete jungle.

Her new master's voice seemed to whisper in her ear, and was a bit harder to ignore than the horse and dog, but she managed. She was in her element. She would win. And when she did, she would prove she was worth keeping as more than just a lab specimen. Once she asserted herself as the strongest, she would take the alpha position from that tiny weakling and master would love her!

A low purring shook Susan from her musings, and she froze. Her forked tongue shot out and tasted the air. A cat was near. Susan's garnet eyes darted around, searching for the source of the smell, but could see no movement. The can must be hiding behind one of the columns, she reasoned. Then, with a feral yowl, the cat landed on her back, slamming the Naga into the concrete floor face down before springing off. In the quarter of a second needed for Susan to pull herself into an attack posture, the cat was gone. She whipped around, searching for it, but its scent was wall around the area. Another yowl to her left, and Susan spun to face it. She had just enough time to realize no one was there before she was slammed into the ground again, the cat licking her ear playfully before springing off again. Susan hissed in frustration and pushed herself back up, feeling bruises forming on her back.

Susan stood still, eyes slowly scanning the spaces between the columns. Again, a wild yowl came from her right. She turned to face it, and then spun around to see a tawny buxom cat-type in a dive straight for her. The Boobcat hit the Naga and knocked her down, crouching on her stomach, but Susan managed to grab hold of her wrists. Her thick, heavy tail whipped up and swiftly coiled around the Boobcat and started squeezing. The cat-type let out a tiny, pathetic mew, her legs and arms bound impotently as Susan's powerful tail compressed mercilessly. Then, excited by her victory, Susan bit down on her prey's shoulder, pumping her venom into the helpless victim.

Then, she started to smell the heartbeat of her prey and hear the grey roughness of the concrete. Up was suddenly left, right was purple, her eyeballs were pooling at the tip of her tail and her stomach was growling in her throat. Over all of this was the pain of nails so cold they burned as they were hammered into her brain. Someone was screaming, and Susan suddenly realized it was her. Finally, everything fell back to normal and Susan was laying limp on her back, her throat raw. To her left, a lavender-haired fox-type was dragging away the mewling Boobcat.

"Susan!" Someone grabbed her arm and pulled, trying to haul her up. The green-haired Naga turned to see the Dog tugging her arm over her furred shoulders, and the Horse galloping up behind her. Susan ripped her arm out of the dog's grip with an angry hiss and collapsed back to the concrete floor. A painful throb rocked her skull, and she forced herself onto her tail.

"What happened?" her master asked over the radio. "I can't see anything from here but some flying girl—pokedex says a Vampira—and I think a Boobcat was running around on top of the pillars. Wait, the flyer's gone down at the other end."

"We think the Boobcat attacked Susan," the Horse said in a low, calm voice. Her twitching tail and nervous trotting in circles revealed it to be a false calm. "She's injured."

"I'm fine!" Susan hissed before a wave of nausea slammed into her gut and pushed her lunch up her throat and onto the floor in front of her. The Dog sniffed with a grimace and turned to look around them. Stupid prey. What did the Horse know about fighting? She was a glorified, dried-up old pack mule!

"She's still suffering from that last attack," the Horse said. "I think it was some kind of psychic attack. A Psivyx attacked Emma and me just before this."

"I am fine," Susan insisted. "I can fight! I bit that cat!"

"Girls!" her master nearly shouted. "The Vampira's back in the air and circling around. I think she may be a scout."

Just as he finished speaking, a shadow flitted over the girls. Susan looked up to see a girl with membranous wings gliding away and looking back at them. Susan hissed at her and ignored the bleatings of the Horse. Susan was on the hunt again.

Another shadow flashed overhead and Susan snapped around in time to see the tail of the Boobcat disappear over a column. Susan coiled into a spring, gauged her distance to the target, adjusted her angle, and suddenly uncoiled, launching herself up into the air. In half a second, she had gone from a ready stance on the floor to flying through the air, where she landed on her stomach, draped over one of the columns. She quickly coiled up on top of it and looked around her. The Boobcat was nowhere to be seen, but that flying girl was out of range on the other side of the arena.

Susan shivered and involuntarily gave a dry heave. The Horse was screaming in her ear as she doubled over in pain. Susan ripped the headset away from her ear and threw it to the floor, where it broke upon impact. An explosion demolished a column a few rows away from her, and a pained yelp echoed to the coiled snake girl. Out of the corner of her eye, Susan saw the flying girl flapping toward her. She could just barely make out the pale lips speaking into her microphone, and almost didn't hear the angry yowl behind her. Susan spun around just in time for the Boobcat, already mid-pounce, to slam into her chest, knocking both of them off of the pillar and to the floor below. As Susan tried to regain her breath, the cat jumped straight up, twisted in the air, and fell back down to Susan, her fist cocked back with an aura shimmering around it. The punch connected solidly with Susan's breast—gravity added to the force of the already powerful attack. Susan screamed as several of her ribs cracked, the force such that they even formed a spider web of cracks in the concrete under her.

"That'll teach you," the Boobcat purred. Susan hissed weakly as the cat leaned in close, a smug smirk on her face. Susan noted a small scar over her eyebrow, but focused on the green eyes full of mischief and self-satisfaction. "You never abandon your sisters, you idiot worm."

Susan glared into those eyes, garnet trying to burn emerald. Susan decided then that she hated this cat who was astride her. It hurt to breath, and she was sure her left breast was just a giant bruise by now. The cat licked her lips, and Susan glanced down to where she had bitten earlier—the wound had been healed almost entirely, just leaving a pair of red circles. Susan was not going to be prey—she would not lose! She whipped her arm up and slashed across the Boobcat's face, leaving four red wounds that instantly started to foam at the edges—her poison was already working. Susan took no small pleasure in how the cat would have some new scars.

The Boobcat hissed and leaned back to spring away, but Susan's tail coiled around her in a repeat of her earlier maneuver. Susan's breathing was labored and shallow, her grip weaker than earlier, but still more than enough to keep the damned Boobcat still. Susan bit down again, emptying her venom glands into the struggling Boobcat and squeezing. She was relishing the feeling of cracking bones so much that she almost didn't notice the Psivyx trying to flank her. Just an attack rippled from the Psivyx, Susan sprung from the Boobcat, darting to the side to avoid the attack and let the barely-conscious feline take the hit.

"Hah!" Susan shouted triumphantly, twisting to face her new opponent. As she did, a flash of pain shot through her chest as something snapped, and a sharp stabbing into her lung made her scream in pain. Susan fell to the floor—things were alternating between slow motion and fast forward –she looked down.

There was blood on the floor. Why was there blood? She wasn't bleeding. She coughed with a splat, and there was suddenly more blood. Her heart was pounding as she was suddenly kicked onto her back. She shuddered and let out a low hiss of pain, looking up at the Psivyx as the fox charged up an attack.

Susan blinked. Slowly. As the world turned grey and darkness crept into the corners of her vision. All she could hear was rushing water.

Susan blinked. Slower. Again.

Her view changed. Something was between her and the Psivyx. It was dark, but she could just barely make out the shape of someone standing with their arms spread, shielding her from the incoming attack.

Susan closed her eyes.

* * *

><p>Susan opened her eyes.<p>

She was lying on her back in a soft bed, her tail dangling off and coiled at the foot of the bed. Thin sheets were tucked to her chin. She stared up at a plain, boring, unfamiliar ceiling. It was dark—probably nighttime, given how quiet everything was.

Susan closed her eyes again, and a flash of her last memories before passing out lit in her mind's eye. She was on the ground, coughing up blood, unable to move—simply waiting for the Psivyx to finish her off.

And then…someone stood between them, arms held out in a gesture of defiance.

Susan opened her eyes.

She was fine. Her injuries had been healed. Aside from the kink forming in her tail, she wasn't in any pain. She was breathing normally. Susan shifted a bit in the bed, and then heard some papers rustling beside her. She turned to see her master sitting at a small table beside her bed, with papers strewn about on it and a pen in his hand. He looked up at her, his goggles pushed up on his forehead and his eyes seeming to glow with light reflected from outside, and sighed in seeming relief.

"How're you feeling?" he asked quietly.

"Fine." Susan's voice was quiet—barely audible, even.

She had lost. He must hate her now. He would throw her away just like her last master did. Susan would have slumped if she wasn't already lying down.

"You don't sound fine," her master said. She looked to him.

"We lost," she said simply.

"Yeah," he said just as simply. "Don't worry about it, though. As I've said before and will again, I'm not in this for the fights or glory. I just want to run my business."

Susan snorted. Her master continued unfazed.

"You're welcome to stay with us if you want. I can't promise you anything. And I won't force you to stay with us. But it'll be a relatively easy job for you, helping us. Just…something to think about. We'll be staying here for a few days, so you'll have plenty of time to decide."

"I am still injured?" Susan asked. "Or…others?"

"No, no," he master said with a reassuring smile. "Everyone's fine. They're in the next room."

"Then why stay?" Her master suddenly blushed and scratched at the base of his neck.

"That's my fault…," he mumbled. "I…kinda jumped into the arena to stop the match before you got hurt any worse. The referee disqualified us because of it, but I sprained my ankle when I landed, so we have to stay until that heals." Susan just noticed the bulky plastic brace on his right leg, covering his foot, ankle, and lower leg. Susan worried her lip and looked back up at her master. He smiled at her with a far-off look in his eyes. "So don't worry about it. You think about things while I heal."

Susan did as her master went back to his papers. She stared out the dark window to the treetops and distant mountains. Eventually, she rolled back to face him, who had traded the papers for a book he had procured…somewhere. She thought about his words to her, and about her last master, and then about what she wanted.

She thought about her defeat. She wasn't a good enough fighter.

But maybe she could be more.

For her Master.

* * *

><p><strong>End of Chapter<strong>

* * *

><p>OwO;<p>

Okay… so I figured I'd take a month off to get back to school and finish training for new job. One month turned to two, and two to four, and now here I am going on month seven when finally, new update! Intensely sorry about the delay, but life's a beach.

Please leave reviews. As always, they are greatly appreciated, as is even your silent reading of the story.

You damn creepy lurkers.


	7. Recovery

**A Routine Expedition**

**Chapter Seven: Recovery**

* * *

><p>Emma's golden eyes fluttered open as the bright morning sun filtered through the plain curtains of the rented pokecenter room. She growled quietly and rolled away from it, burying her face in the warm bosom she found there.<p>

"Sun go 'way," she mumbled and hugged the figure next to her closer. Rose, as she assumed the figure in bed with her to be, was cooler than Emma remembered. With a confused pout, she lifted a hand to the breast and gave it a probing squeeze.

No. It was wrong. The general size was right, but the shape, warmth, the firmness were all wrong. All wrong.

An intruder was in her bed.

Emma was instantly awake. She pushed herself away from the figure, but something long and thick coiled around her and pulled her back to it. Emma growled and an Ember attack was on her lips as she caught a glimpse of olive skin and dark green hair.

"What?" Susan hissed irritably. Emma's attack dissipated in a puff of smoke as she relaxed. Susan pushed herself into a sitting position with her tail still coiled around Emma.

"You snuck in my bed," Emma said flatly. The two stared at each other for a long awkward moment. Emma's ear twitched and her tail waved nervously. Susan didn't move, aside from blinking sleepily.

"You were warm, Dog."

"Emma."

Another long moment. Emma pouted at the Naga.

"Emma," Susan said. Emma wagged her tail happily and bounced off the bed. A set of clothes for each of them was laid out on the table next to the bed. Emma quickly dressed and turned back to Susan.

"I'm going to go find Master," Emma said. Her stomach gave a grumble and she let out a giggle. "And find something to eat. Want me to get you anything?"

"No," Susan said. "Thank you."

"Okay," Emma bounded out of the door and down the corridor, heading for the lobby downstairs.

* * *

><p>"Brandy," Ethan said as they set up the center module of their tent near the town square, "I'm hoping that we can get some more business since this town's so much bigger than usual. What do you think?"<p>

"Master, I'm just glad the police said we could do this," his tiny Eva said. "We've got enough money to live on for now. This is just to push old stock and pad that wallet."

"I know that," Ethan said as they finished the tent's assembly. Rose, who had been staking down the opposite side of the tent, came back around. She spotted Ethan and Brandy and immediately laid into them.

"Master! I thought I told you to sit down and let us do the work," Rose admonished him. He turned, stumbling a bit with the brace on his leg. "You're still hurt. Brandy and I could have done this just fine without you."

"Rose, it's been three days," Ethan said. "I need to help. I'd feel like a jerk if you two did everything while I sat around on my ass."

"You need to heal," Rose counted stubbornly before rounding on Brandy. "And you. You were supposed to keep him in the chair."

"I couldn't reach…," Brandy trailed off into a mumble. Rose sighed.

"I feel fine," Ethan said. "The Nurse said I could come back the day after tomorrow to get it checked again. Just let me help out—it is my business, after all."

After a long while, Rose relented, and the three continued setting up shop. She hefted her saddle, still packed with their lab supplies, into the tent, while Brandy dragged their heavy packs inside. She and Ethan quickly double-checked their inventory while Rose looked out to the street. They had managed to find an empty spot in and open-air market, between a fruit-seller and an ice-cream cart. People were already milling about the market, enjoying the crisp morning air.

"People are already here," Rose commented. "WE need to advertise some…," She looked over at the other two and spotted one of their old, but well-cared-for blankets that was getting just a bit too thin to remain useable. Suddenly, an idea struck. She asked, "Master, do we have any paint?"

* * *

><p>Emma skipped into the pokecenter's lobby, humming happily to herself. The metal tag on her collar jingled merrily. A Tamer with bright yellow hair and a Ria hanging off his arm was at the counter, and another in a sharp suit was at the bank of computer terminals. Emma sat down at the terminal at the far end from the man in the suit and brought up the email application.<p>

"Dear Momma," she typed. "We are all…doing…fine." Her typing was slow and came in spurts—she had never learned formally, due to her father not allowing it, and so she spent more time searching for keys than actually hitting them. "Master caught a…Naga named…Susan. She was mean at first and only wanted…to…fight. But then we lost…a Gym…Battle but she's…not acting…as…mean. We're in Farpoint now. We have to goo soon…to…get…more supplies. Love you…Momma. From…Emma."

Emma reread it and nodded to herself before sending it to the pokecenter in her home village. From there, she knew that Alice the NurseJoy would make sure her mother got the message. Any reply could be sent to her Master's pokedex. Emma left the computer and sniffed around the door a bit, noting all of the unfamiliar smells. Several people had already passed through the door, with at least two pokegirls to every human, including her Master, Rose, and Emma. The scents ranged from flowers and grass to ozone and steel to some musky cologne that she tracked to the blond kid with the Ria. Emma snuffled to get the scent out of her nose and retreated to the taming room where she left Susan.

"That's right!" Ethan said to the small group of people standing in front of their tent. "Anything from the common cold to hemorrhoids, we have something that'll ease your symptoms if not outright cure you! And that's not all! We have beauty treatments, nutritional supplements, sleep aids! You sir!" Ethan gestured towards a young man with several large boils on his face. "Would you mind coming to the front for a demonstration? Brandy, the boil solution, please. Yes sir, right here, please. If you would, face the crowd. What's your name, sir?"

"Marvin," the young man said with his head hung low. Brandy emerged from the tent with a clean rag and an eight-dram vial. Ethan unstoppered the vial and dripped a few drops onto a corner of the rag.

"Marvin, just stay still if you would," Ethan said, projecting to the gathered crowd. He dabbed the rag to the boils, and then backed away to give a clear view. The people gasped and started chattering amongst themselves as the boils quickly shrank and disappeared entirely. Brandy produced a small mirror and Marvin examined his face with a growing grin.

"Nothing's worked before!" he exclaimed excitedly. "They're gone! How much for the bottle?"

"1500 credits for the vial—about twenty doses. Five drops in a rag, rubbed to the affected area. Instructions, warnings, ingredients are on the vial." Marvin shoved the bills into Ethan's hand and happily ran off with the vial. Ethan passed the money to Rose, who quickly pocketed it.

"You may not be much of a battler, but you're a hell of a medicine man!" Marvin shouted back at them before he got out of earshot. The crowd pushed forward, eager to sample the new products.

After a while, a round old Mousewife tugged on Ethan's sleeve. He turned to her.

"Are you by any chance related to Ethan Warden, the famous Tamer that won the championship thirty years ago?" she asked sweetly. Ethan nodded, and the little old pokewoman clapped happily. "My Master and I met him once. You look just like him!"

"Thank you, Ma'am," Ethan said with a slight blush.

"Oh please, call me Millie," the Mousewife said. She grinned and gestured up at the cloth banner Rose had made from the old sheet. It read "Moonlight Natural Remedies" in an elegant font, with a green crescent moon at either end, and was hung over the opening of their tent to be easily visible. "You know, I would have passed right on by if I didn't see that sign."

"I'm glad we got it up in time, then," Ethan said with a mix of genuine cheer and some trepidation—he wouldn't hear the end of this from Rose for a while. He could practically feel her smirking at his back.

"I saw that, and then I remembered my sister and niece—they live in Trail's End—talking about this travelling salesman who sold miracle products on the street."

"I've never claimed to work miracles," Ethan said quickly.

"They said," Millie continued as if she hadn't heard him, "that the salesman was a nice young man with the cutest little Eva imaginable. And his products did everything he said they would!"

"Bad business to lie to a customer," Ethan said, trying to hide how flustered he was. "Can I help you with anything, though?"

"Oh, I was looking for something to help my Master…well, keep up. He's starting to get on in years, you see, and—not to say anything against him, bless his heart, but—"

"I understand, Millie," Ethan said. He ducked into the tent and returned with a bottle filled with little green pills.

* * *

><p>"Where are Master and others?" Susan asked. Emma had been fidgeting for the entire time she had been back from the Lobby (whatever she did there), and the constant movement was grating on the Naga's nerves.<p>

"Dunno," Emma pouted as she batted a tennis ball to the wall and back. "Probably selling stuff."

Susan scoffed quietly and coiled up tighter. She wanted them back, not just to distract the hyperactive puppy, but for her to inform him of her decision. She sighed and stared at the window.

"Hey Susan?" Emma suddenly asked. Her voice was much closer, and Susan twisted around to see golden eyes and a blond mane peering up over the edge of the bed. "You're not mad about the other day, are you? At the Gym?"

"Susan stared at her for a long time. Emma whined softly and lowered herself until she was just visible.

"No," Susan said. "I was not strong enough. It was my fault."

"It was all of us," Emma started.

"It was my fault," Susan insisted. "I ask for Gym Battle. I push you in. My fault."

Emma pouted quietly, then jumped onto the bed and sprawled out across the Naga, giggling madly. Susan coiled around her and they both rolled off the bed with a heavy thump. Emma barked playfully, batting at Susan's long hair. Susan coiled tighter around the Growlie and held her still. Emma struggled and nipped at Susan's tail and arms with a throaty growl.

"Surrender," Susan commanded. Emma shook her head and gave a defiant bark. The two rolled across the floor until they bumped into the wall. They laid there for a while, silently staring at opposite walls.

"Are you mad?" Susan asked suddenly. Emma's ears flicked and her tail twitched. "You were hurt. My fault. Are you mad?"

Emma shook her head. "Didn't stay hurt. Master's the only one that wasn't fixed up right away. I kinda feel sorry for him."

Susan only seemed to shrink at that. She asked, "Is Master mad?"

"Nope," Emma said with the confidence a person has when stating the world is round and the sun sets in the west. "Master's not mad. He might be a bit frustrated that we can't go anywhere for a few more days, but I gar…garen…gwaran…I bet he'll be back soon and happy to see you."

The door suddenly flew open, surprising Emma and Susan. Brandy ran into the room and grabbed the both of them in a hug, bouncing in excitement.

"Guess what Guess what guess what!" she cheered. Susan watched as Ethan and Rose entered at a more sedate pace.

"What what what?" Emma quickly started bouncing with brandy, the two giggling like mad as they spiraled into the opposite corner.

"We're sold out," Ethan said as he put two substantially lighter packs at the foot of the bed. "Completely. No stock left, except for the supply I keep for us."

Susan tilted her head to the side, unsure of what that meant, but Emma gasped theatrically and pounced on Ethan with a happy yip. Her momentum pushed them both into the wall as Rose closed and locked the door. Brandy did a happy little jig to herself and Emma licked Ethan's face in her excitement.

"What means?" Susan asked.

"It means," Ethan said with a grin from ear to ear, "that we have light packs and fat wallets."

"It also means we're going to be spending about a month deep in the woods," Rose reminded him. "To get more raw materials to make more product." Ethan bobbed his head in a way that suggested rolling his eyes—none of them could see through his ever-present dark goggles.

"Yes, also that," he said. "But we still can't go anywhere for a couple more days, so we get to shop around for supplies in the meantime."

"But first—Master needs his rest," Brandy said with a commanding tone that was ruined by the fact that she was eye-level with the bottom of his sternum. She crossed her arms over her nearly flat chest and glared defiantly up at him. Ethan chuckled softly and hobbled over to the bed.

"Alright, alright," he said. "I'll just do some reading, and then we can go shopping tomorrow. Okay?"

"Good," Brandy said as she crawled onto the bed. "Except for the reading part. You can do that later, but right now, two of your girls need you. Rose, would you and Susan mind?"

"Not at all," Rose said. Susan, who had been getting into the mood for a Taming herself, hissed in frustration as she felt the red energy of a pokeball envelop her and pull her into the timeless confines of a pokeball.

"I'll just take a little nap, then," Rose said as she tapped her own pokeball to her shoulder. Brandy grinned predatorily at Ethan, who quirked a slim black eyebrow up. Emma caught onto the mood and pounced up onto the bed. Ethan looked at his girls, a grin spreading across his face as they pulled each other's shirts over their heads. He reached for the bottom of his shirt, but Brandy put her hands on his and pinned them to the bed at his sides.

"Master, you need to relax. Just let us take care of you, okay?" she said as Emma tossed her skirt to the corner and reached around Brandy's slender thighs to open her shorts and pull them down. Brandy's tail wagged a bit, and Emma coughed when it batted her in the face. Ethan grinned and leaned up to kiss Brandy's cheek, but she shoved him back down. "I said relax, dammit."

"Alright, alright," Ethan said, his grin not diminishing. Brandy pulled his shirt off and tossed it away carelessly before crawling up and straddling his stomach. Behind her, Emma unbuttoned Ethan's pants and pulled them down, carefully tugging them over the brace on his ankle and removing his shoe and sock at the same time. All three of them were on the bed in their underwear, as Brandy rubbed her tiny fingers into Ethan's chest.

"Good Master," Brandy said. "Just lie back, and we'll take care of you."

* * *

><p>Three days later, after restocking their consumables and replacing aging equipment, the group had gone deep into the woods and set up camp in a small clearing near, but not to near, a clear stream. They had already set up the tent (including the miniature lab and small table) and a campfire was burning outside. Brandy sighed and slumped in the folding chair at their tiny table. Ethan and Emma were at the nearby stream to collect fish or any other food they could, Rose was outside the tent tending the fire, and Susan…. Brandy's long ears twitched. She hadn't seen Susan in a while. The Naga wasn't as caustic or biting to them, but some things still required a bit of adjusting. Ethan, Brandy, Rose and Emma had all established routines and roles with each other. Susan was a new element tossed into the beaker, and it was taking a while for everything to settle down.<p>

Brandy looked down at the photo in her hand—the same one that Ethan kept in his pocket. She sighed again and slumped further in the folding fabric chair.

"What's that?" a voice suddenly hissed in her ear. Brandy jumped up with a squeak, banged her knee on the table, and fell to the floor. Groaning, she looked up at Susan, whose garnet eyes were sparkling in amusement. Brandy huffed and pushed herself to her feet.

"What?" she demanded shortly. Susan blinked at her, her expression unchanged.

"What is in hand?" Susan asked. She pointed at Brandy's hand, which still held the old photograph. Brandy shifted nervously, her tears twitched for any sound of someone coming to help her. Susan didn't move. Brandy finally relented.

"It's a photo," she said, "of Ethan's and my sixth birthday party."

"May I see it?" Susan asked innocently.

The two stared at each other for a long, awkward moment.

"Okay," Brandy said and held the photo so Susan could see it, but still couldn't reach it. Susan stared at it in a silent moment that stretched as long as a day.

"Who are people?" Susan asked. Brandy pointed to the children at the table in the middle, a boy with black hair and clunky sunglasses and a girl with bushy brown hair and a plain face. Between them was a huge cake with pink and purple frosting and six lit candles.

"The one on the right is Ethan," she said, pointing to the little boy, and then to the girl, "and that's me."

"You share birthday," Susan tilted her head to the side and shot Brandy a slightly queasy look. "You are twins?"

"What? Eww! No," Brandy said. She quickly pointed out the four adults standing behind the youngsters. "Those are Ethan's parents, and these are mine. Our dads were best friends and Tamers together, and they started working at a ranch after they retired. Ethan and I were born a couple of days apart, so our parents always celebrated our birthdays together." Brandy gave a shudder, her soft fur standing on end. "You thought we were brother and sister? Eww."

"Sorry, Alpha," Susan said. Brandy pursed her lips together.

"You can call me Brandy, y'know? It _is_ my name."

"Brandy," Susan said with a small smile. She leaned in further. "Who are others?"

"Well, that's Ethan's brother and his mom," Brandy pointed at a scowling Sparkanine with a wrapped bundle—Ethan's baby brother—in her arms. "The mini-Milktit next to me is Mona, Ethan's sister. No, I don't have any siblings."

"What about her?" Susan pointed to an Espea that was leaning heavily on Ethan's Umbrea mother.

"She's Ethan's aunt," Brandy said. "I think she may have been a bit drunk then. She and his mom were twins, but they evolved at different times. And the Minotaura with the green Mohawk was Ethan's dad's other pokewoman, and Mona's mom."

"Where is the rest of your father's harem?" Susan asked. Brandy shrugged.

"He only kept my mom when he retired. They never told me why."

The two moved into the tent's bedroom and sat on the padded floor. The bedding had been piled to the side, leaving the floor clear and open. A silence—not exactly awkward, but not entirely comfortable—settled over them like a lead blanket.

"What happened?" Susan asked. Brandy took a deep breath and sighed.

"You know how sometimes, with a menace pokegirl, even retired tamers are called in to help deal with it?" Brandy asked. Susan made no indication of whether she did or not, but leaned closer, eager to hear more. "Well, a few months after this was taken, there was a Widow spotted near the town where we lived. The League called in every tamer, active or otherwise, for twenty miles to try to stop it, including our dads." Brandy stopped and took a long, shuddering breath. She rubbed at an eye and tried to blink away the welling tears.

"We never saw them again. Our parents, their pokegirls…. An official from the League came a few days later and told us they died in the line of duty, gave us their pokedexes and a medal for each of them." Brandy had to stop. Her frame, tiny even for an Eva, seemed even more fragile and delicate. Susan shifted on her tail nervously.

"You not have to…," she began, but Brandy shook her head wildly and glared at her through the tears clinging to her cinnamon eyes.

"No," she said with surprising firmness. "You need to know. You're…you're staying with us, so you need to understand."

"I not—"

"You will sit there and shut up until I'm done," Brandy snapped at her. Susan shrank back at the normally quiet Eva's sudden heat. She bowed her head submissively and waited for her Alpha to continue. Brandy took a few measured breaths before she began again.

"Their wills both named the Breeder in charge of the Ranch they worked at as our guardian, so we all moved in there. Ethan, his sister, brother, and I stuck together through everything—but especially me and Ethan. We grew up there and when we got old enough, we started helping out around the ranch as a way of paying them back. Then…," Brandy swallowed nervously. Her mouth suddenly felt drier than a water-deprived Bandame, but she pushed forward. "Then they had to sell his sister to a dairy farm. We were thirteen, and she had just turned eighteen. She was my best girl friend. My only girl friend. I think that's what triggered my Threshold."

Brandy shivered, despite the bedroom being pleasantly warm. Her eyes were far off, remembering old pains. Susan fidgeted, reaching out and then retracting her hand several times before Brandy stiffened and forced herself to finish.

"Ethan never left my side—except for a few times while I was asleep, when the ranch hands made him go clean himself up. He's always been there for me, ever since we were kids. And later, when I started feeling…urges…I didn't even consider anyone else. It was Ethan or no one. I love him, and I owe him so much more than I can give."

Brandy slumped, emotionally exhausted by her extended exposition. Susan slowly slithered over to her Alpha, and gently pulled the shaking Eva to her. Brandy didn't struggle as Susan's tail loosely coiled around her—instead of threatening, it was comforting, like a full-body hug.

"Ethan got a Pet Owner's license as soon as he was able. He never wanted to be a tamer. He saw all those kids come to the Ranch to get their starters, and he was genuinely scared for them. I don't think I've ever seen him start a fight or argument." Brandy looked up at Susan. "You should feel special. He challenged a Gym, something he knew he wouldn't win, just to keep you around."

Susan blushed and looked away. She made a mental note to thank him for that t later. Brandy wriggled a bit, snuggling into a more comfortable position.

"There was a G-Poindexter at the Ranch that kept track of the books in addition to her research. She was an Alchemist—you know, the old-timey precursor to chemistry? Well, it's more than just old guys in robes and labs trying to make lead into gold. It's a whole philosophy, a whole lifestyle!" Brandy's eyes shone with more than just unshed tears as she spoke. "Ethan learned it from her and studied it himself at night, and he earned a Mastery when we were eighteen. Then he took me as his apprentice and I've been learning from him since."

Brandy's eyes and tone darkened. Her ears fell limp and she snuggled even closer to Susan, who wrapped herself tighter around Brandy.

"Then Ethan told his brother that he didn't want to be a tamer, and…well, they had a fight. And then Duncan—that's his brother's name—Duncan left on his own, and Ethan and I left the Ranch to start Moonlight Natural Remedies."

"What about Rose and Emma?" Susan asked. Brandy shook her head.

"Those are their stories to tell. You'll have to ask them if you want to know."

The two were silent for a while, this time a comfortable quiet like a fluffy blanket.

"Thank you," Brandy finally said. Susan blinked in confusion.

"I did nothing," she said softly, but Brandy shook her head.

"You listened. Sometimes, that's all someone needs." Brandy nuzzled Susan's breasts through the green tube top she wore. On an impulse, Susan leaned down, cupping her Alpha's soft cheek in her palm, and placed a gentle, chaste kiss on her lips. Brandy blushed and hugged Susan tightly, burying her face between the girl's larger breasts. The two lay like that for a while, until it was time to help with dinner.

* * *

><p>"You smell anything, Emma?" Ethan asked the next afternoon as he and Brandy watched Emma making loose circles with her nose an inch off the ground. She snuffled and pouted.<p>

"Titmice…Pidgy…a Kitten," she listed. The Growlie sat back on her haunches and looked up at Ethan and Brandy, who both had bags full of empty collection vials. "The newest is a few hours, tops. There's a couple that I don't know…. Sorry, Master."

"No apologies, Love," Ethan said and laid a hand on her head. Her tail wagged happily as he scratched the base of her ears. "We'll try another spot. It's new territory, after all. Come on."

Brandy didn't bother mentioning that was the seventh time they had stopped so Emma could try to find the trail of a pokegirl from whom they could harvest ingredients for products. Ethan knew it just as well as she did. Emma stood and the three of them marched further into the forest, tripping over roots and fallen branches. They continued on with minimal conversation, except for a request from Brandy to do a bit of shoe shopping the next time they were in town. Emma sniffed the air frequently as she led the way. Suddenly, she stopped, her ears laid back and her tail bristling.

"Master, I smell other Growlies," she said. Ethan and Brandy stopped behind her and instantly went on guard. Emma kept sniffing, looking around intently. "We're at their border."

"Can you lead us around?" Ethan asked. "I'd rather not get into a fight."

Emma nodded and started off to the west of their original northward path, sniffing ever few paces and making soft growling noises. Ethan quirked an eyebrow at her but said nothing else, and all they heard for a long while was the rustling foliage, clinking of the glass collection vials, and the calls of a few far-off bird-type pokegirls. Brandy's ears twitched every time she heard one, and she looked around almost nervously. Emma started turning them back to the north when she suddenly stopped again.

"What is it?" Ethan asked quietly. Emma raised her nose high in the air and sniffed deeply.

"Fire…Ozone…something stinky," she whined softly and clamped her hands over her nose before turning back to Ethan and Brandy. "Think someone had a battle."

"A Fire and Electric…maybe a Poison type?" Brandy suggested. "Should we check it out, or go back the way we came?"

"Someone could be hurt," Ethan said and started forwards again. Emma jumped in front of him to lead the way, and Brandy fell in behind.

"What if whoever's fighting is still there?" she asked.

"Then we'll leave and pretend we never saw it," Ethan whispered. Emma crouched down behind a low bush, and the other two fell in behind her. "Is this it?"

"About half an hour old," Emma said. There was a small clearing in front of them, a natural meadow where the sun usually shined brightly down on flowers and soft grass. Instead, there were scorches and wide gouges in the earth—one charred skeleton of a tree was still smoldering. Several other trees had broken limbs at best and were ripped entirely out of the ground at worst. Puddles of sickly purple goo were splashed randomly and gave off the foul odor that had Emma clenching her nose shut.

"Come on," Ethan said, standing. "We should look and see if anyone's here."

"But Master!" Brandy rose to protest but Emma followed dutifully, still with her nose clamped shut. "What if whoever did this comes back?"

"Then you two go in your pokeballs and I hide until they go away," Ethan said as he ducked under a tree limb. They circled the small, battle-scarred meadow, until Brandy tripped over something a bit softer than a root. She squeaked as she fell to the leaf-covered forest floor, and Ethan and Emma were instantly beside her to help her up.

"Are you hurt?" he asked. Brandy shook her head and looked to see what she had tripped over.

It was a leg.

Brandy nearly screamed, but then she noticed that the leg was attached to a body, and the body was still breathing. She and Ethan both moved closer to investigate, checking for a pulse and injuries. She had both.

She was tall and lithe and dressed in a tattered white martial arts uniform. Her skin was a dark tan and smooth, except for the many bruises and cuts that dotted her all over. Tangled black hair framed her head like a dark halo, and then they noticed the bone club hanging loosely in her hand, and the skull mask firmly adhered to her face.

"I'm starting to hate living in interesting times," Ethan said with a sigh.

* * *

><p><strong>End of Chapter<strong>

Interesting times are getting a bit too interesting. The plot thickens. thanks for reading, please leave a review.


	8. Gain and Loss

**A Routine Expedition**

**Chapter Eight: Gain and Loss**

* * *

><p>Monica the Ka-D-Bra, still dressed in her pokecenter uniform, stood with her hands clasped behind her back and her impressive bust thrust forward. She was in a plush office in one of the taller buildings in Galveston, and before her was an antique mahogany desk. Behind the desk was a man whose face was hidden in shadow. The night lights of the city shined in his slicked-back hair and cast shadows that, combined with the darkness of the office and her inability to pick up any thoughts from him at all, completely hid his identity. All she knew was that this was the man that determined whether or not she would ever see her family again.<p>

"You performed the psyche evaluation for a new tamer out of Trail's End, correct?" The man asked evenly. His voice sounded distorted, as if she was hearing it through a bad phone connection.

"Several," Monica said. "Tobias Loren, Ethan Warden, and Michal Williams, but only Loren and Warden passed."

"I see," he said and waited a long moment. She fidgeted as she resisted the urge to try reading him again. "Tell me about Loren."

"He's a decent enough kid. My aunt was owned by his father before he retired and donated her to the pokecenter. His motivations are typical of a starting tamer: fame, fortune, and sex. He has a lot to learn, I think, but he's not harmful to anyone so long as he keeps his mouth shut."

"And Warden?"

"Warden is," she grasped for a proper phrase, "different. He's older than normal, and he already had three pokegirls."

"I already have statistics. Tell me about his mind. Tell me how he thinks."

"O-of course," she gulped and took a breath to steady herself. "His motivations are humble. He wants a quiet life with his girls. He doesn't want to fight. He doesn't want fame or glory. He wants a home where he can run his business and not be hated by everyone around him. I'd go so far as to say he almost craves acceptance from the way he bends over backwards for others."

He stared at her for a long while.

"Thank you," he said finally. "You may go."

Monica, however, didn't relax.

"Sir, if I may, what about my family?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Angel," he pressed a button on the small intercom unit on his desk. "Angel, be a dear and tell our guest's relatives that she'll meet them in the lobby, and escort them there."

"Yes, Master Magnus," a cheery voice answered.

"Thank you, Sir," Monica said before turning and leaving the office. As soon as the door was closed, the man spun in his chair to look out over the city. He sighed heavily and reached for the flask he kept in his jacket, taking a long gulp with a grimace.

"Well, Ethan, you're not so much like your father after all," he said. His cold eyes glazed over as he looked into the past. Memories older than most of the people in his building flashed through his mind's eye. "I hope you do not make the same mistake he did. For your sake."

* * *

><p>Susan sighed contentedly and stretched her arms over her head. Their camp was set up in a small egg-shaped meadow with the narrow end to the west, ringed by young trees that let in plenty of sunlight. The grass was lush and soft, with colorful wildflowers cropping up at random. The tent was slightly off-center, the door facing the west, with the cooking fire kept hot in a shallow pit they had dug. Rose tended it and kept a supply of dead, dry wood near (but not too near).<p>

Susan, however, had found something that would keep her very happy during the month they planned to stay there: a large, flat boulder was behind their tent, positioned perfectly to catch the sun both in the morning and the much warmer afternoon. Susan was sprawled lazily over the warm basalt rock, basking in the afternoon sun. She had shed what little clothing her Master asked her to wear as soon as he was out of sight and had spent the hours on her new favorite bed.

"Susan," Rose said suddenly. Susan blinked rapidly and rolled onto her stomach. Rose was standing in her tauric form, hands on her hips.

"What?" Susan asked neutrally. Rose stepped closer, pawing a hoof at the ground.

"Brandy told me she told you about her and Ethan," Rose said.

"Yes," Susan hissed with a tilt of her head. Rose stiffened a bit, but set her jaw.

"If you don't mind," Rose said, "I'd like to tell you how Ethan got me."

Susan stared at her expectantly. Rose decided that was the most enthusiastic response she was likely to get and sighed heavily.

"Ethan wasn't my first Tamer, obviously," she said. "When I had just come of age, a kid just starting out bought me from my parents. His parents were friends of friends of my parents, so they were hoping to not pay full…that doesn't matter. Jimmy was a nice boy, but he wasn't the brightest. Maybe a bit thick, I suppose. Jimmy was a moron."

Susan hissed a laugh, and Rose glared at her.

"Jimmy was a moron, and he wasn't really cut out to be a tamer. About a month after we left, we had an accident. We were trying to go on this narrow ledge on Mount Ebon, when it gave out under us. Jimmy broke his neck when we fell, but I only cracked a couple of ribs and my arm. I managed to get his pokedex to call for help, and a rescue team from a nearby ranch was able to get us." Rose fidgeted and started to pace in front of the rock.

"I stayed at the ranch for a few years. When I was twenty-two, I moved to a tiny little ranch way out in the country, near the village where we found you. Nine years I stayed there, tending the fields we used to grow food. Then, bandits attacked and stole a bunch of the girls. I was in my ball the whole time, so I didn't find out all this until later, but when the bandits went back to their camp and fell asleep, Ethan snuck into it—he said he was gathering ingredients and heard them bragging to each other—and stole everything they had right back. When he returned us to the ranch, I asked to stay with him."

"Why?" Susan asked. Rose stopped, her face scrunching up in confusion.

"I don't really know. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and I haven't regretted it since." Rose shrugged and resumed her pacing. Susan followed her with her eyes for a while before rolling onto her back and stretching. Rose shook her head and trotted around the tent to tend to the fire. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to share with the new girl. Susan had been…well, bitchy for lack of a better term, since she arrived. Rose had tried to be nice, especially since the Naga seemed to be trying to be nicer, but she hoped that her master wouldn't pick up another stray any time soon.

"Rose!" Ethan called. The pokewoman looked up to see her black-clad owner and harem-sisters in their black skirts and navy halter tops rushing into the clearing. Ethan and Emma were carrying something between them, but Rose didn't see until they got closer that it was a stretcher fashioned from long sticks and strips of fabric. In the stretcher was a dark-skinned, lithe figure in a tattered martial arts uniform and bone mask. Brandy, carrying a femur that looked like it belonged to an Elephuk, ran forward and unzipped the door of the tent, allowing Ethan and Emma to rush inside.

"Why?" Rose asked, looking up to the sky. "Why?"

Inside the tent, Ethan and Emma had cleared off their folding table and laid their injured cargo on it. She was unconscious but breathing steadily and covered in bruises and dried blood from small gashes all over her powerful body. Brandy dropped the bone next to the door and ducked into the lab, returning with an arm full of gauze, bandages and bottles.

"I got everything from the med-kit," she said and quickly laid them out next to the Cudildo.

"Good," Ethan said. He quickly soaked a few gauze pads in alcohol and started to clean off the blood. "Most of her injuries are superficial—no internal bleeding and her vitals are steady. Best we can do is clean her up and bandage the wounds."

So they did. After about half an hour, Ethan and Emma lifted her again and gently carried her into their bedroom.

"Emma, keep an eye on her," Ethan said as he tucked her in. "Come get us when she wakes up."

"Yes, Master." Emma dropped to sit on her haunches, tail wagging as she stared at the sleeping Cudildo. Ethan retrieved her club and laid it next to her before going back out to the campfire, where Rose was standing with her arms crossed over her chest. Brandy was standing next to her, ears drooping as she worried the hem of her skirt.

"Why," Rose asked shortly, "can't we have a normal day anymore?"

* * *

><p>Her senses slowly returned to her, but she laid still. The last thing she remembered was a blast of force and tree limbs cracking around her until she crashed into…she didn't remember anything else. Her training took over and she quickly took stock of her surroundings. She was in a bed with a thin mattress. There was a soft breeze, and she could still smell the forest. A dull ache spread throughout her body, but someone had dressed her wounds. Obviously she had been found, but a quick check revealed no one had tried to tame her.<p>

Suddenly, hot, snuffling breath played over her nose and chin. She opened her eyes to see a Growlie with wide golden eyes sniffing at her curiously.

"Hi there!" the Growlie barked happily, followed by a loud, rapid thumping—probably the canine's tail. After a distracted moment, she realized the Growlie was still talking. "I'm Emma! What's your name?"

She groaned and coughed. Her throat felt like leather left in the desert sun, but she managed to crack her lips and croak, "…water…."

"Your name's water?" Emma blinked. "That's a funny name. Oh! You mean you want water. I'll get some. Master!" Emma darted out of the room through a canvas door, and the Cudildo realized she was in a tent. From how little light made it through the dark fabric, she guessed it was early evening or late morning. Emma the Growlie returned with a plastic pouch filled with clear liquid. Emma held the pouch's spigot to the Cudildo's mouth and she gratefully gulped down the life-giving water. As she drank, someone else entered the tent: male, shoulder-length black hair, pale skin, dark goggles, and black clothes hiding a wiry frame with broad shoulders.

"Hey there," he said in a soft, gentle voice—as if he were speaking to an injured animal. "Feeling better?"

"Yes," she choked out. "Than…thank you."

"No thanks needed," he said. "What's your name?"

"Atsuko," she said. He smiled gently at her.

"Hello, Atsuko," he said. "My name's Ethan. If you feel up to it, we have dinner ready outside."

* * *

><p>After dinner had been cleared away, Rose stared across the campfire at Atsuko. The Ponytaur was in her humanoid form, sitting on the cool grass with Emma's head in her lap. She idly rubbed the younger girl's belly and was rewarded with a happy thumping as her tail wagged onto the ground. Ethan was to her left, with Brandy to his left and Susan to hers. Directly across the campfire from Ethan, Atsuko sat rigidly, like a statue, with her legs folded under her and her bone club held in her lap. Her clothes—which looked and smelled like she'd been wearing them for weeks—had been replaced by a pair of Ethan's red with white polka-dots boxers and one of Emma's navy halters. Combined with the dusky skin with dark bruises and white bandages, she looked rather ridiculous. Her black hair was a tangled mess with a few twigs sticking out of it. Fiery red eyes—the color of a glowing ember—watched them from the sockets of her smooth bone mask. The six sat in a heavy silence, broken only by the obliviously merry crackling of the fire and the sounds of some Bug-types calling out to each other. Rose was unable to stand it any longer.<p>

"Okay, I'll ask the obvious question," she said. "Why was a Cudildo lying unconscious in the middle of the forest, ten miles from the nearest human town?"

No one moved or said anything for a full minute. Rose counted.

"We just want to help," Ethan said in his gentle voice. Rose loved hearing it, especially after a night of especially warm and passionate taming, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy around this new girl. She looked over to see her Master smiling gently with a relaxed and open posture she recognized—he was patient, and could wait all night for her to answer.

Slowly, Atsuko inhaled and began to speak in a flat voice without inflection.

"I was attempting to capture agents of a group that killed my Tamer," she began. "We come from Edo, travelling to find new challenges against which to test our merit. I was a Ronin; he, a sword master of the highest caliber. For some time after we entered your League, things went according to plan. We faced many opponents, all of whom aided us in our quest to perfect ourselves. Then, we began to hear whispers—rumors of a shadowy group that had infiltrated every League in the world with plans to conquer. We could not let that happen."

She took a deep breath and another gulp of water. Slowly, she continued.

"We investigated. Quietly at first, but then one lead proved especially promising—a laboratory in Potts Harbor. We went to the police, but without any hard evidence, they were unable to do anything." Suddenly, she bared her teeth in a snarl. "The cowards! If they had attacked, they would have had all the evidence they could want! But instead, they chose to protect their own hides at the expense of those they are to protect. They—" She cut off and took several breaths. Her fists clenched around her club. Emma rolled onto all fours, Susan tensed her coils like a spring, and Brandy shifted herself in front of Ethan—all three ready to fight if needed. Then, Atsuko visibly relaxed and looked up with a sheepish expression (from what Rose could see at any rate—the bone mask covered everything from her cheekbones up except for the round eye sockets).

"I apologize," she said. "It is difficult to control myself now. I…."

"No worries," Ethan said. "You don't have to apologize for anything. If you want to stop for—"

"No!" Atsuko barked. She rose slightly from her position, then gave that same sheepish look and settled back on her ankles. Rose stared at her legs. How could they not be hurting? Then she realized the Cudildo was still talking. "…aim to help me, then you must know."

Ethan gestured for her to continue, and she took another deep breath. Rose stared at her chest—the mature ponytaur definitely outclassed new girl's A-cups. With a slight blush, she forced herself to focus on what Atsuko was saying.

"After we left the police, my Master and I attempted to infiltrate the hidden laboratory on our own. I should have known it was a trap—entrance was too easy, and we encountered next to no security once inside. We didn't realize until it was too late that we were expected. The leader of the organization was waiting for us in a huge arena. He said he had spies all over the world, feeding him information on everything. They told him that we were searching for him, and he wanted to meet us. To test us. He never gave his name. He never left the shadows. But I will never forget that cowardly bastard's voice."

She stopped for another gulp of water. The other girls were leaning forward, eager for more of the tale. Rose, however, already had a feeling of how it ended.

"We were to fight for our freedom," Atsuko said. Her voice began to crack and tremble, as if she were holding back tears—or fury. "If we were able to defeat his harem, he would let us go free. We fought. My sisters—brave, honorable warriors—fought. Even my Master drew his sword, but we fell, one by one, until it was just Master and I. Then their alpha struck to kill me, but Master—he—my brave, stupid fool of a Master jumped to shield me from her attack. He died in my arms. I swore to avenge him, and then evolved into my current form. By the time I was finished, the arena was emptied. Only the bodies of my sisters and my…my Master remained to tell the story of the battle that took place there."

"When I returned to take revenge, the laboratory, the arena—everything was empty. It was as if they were never there, as if the very memory of them had disappeared. But I remember. I will not rest until that pokegirl and her Master are both dead, and then I will perform seppuku, so that I may rejoin my Master and sisters."

They sat in stunned silence. The fire had burned low, casting a ruddy red glow over everyone. A grim frown had carved itself into Ethan's face, and he ran his fingers through his hair. Brandy held a hand to her mouth, cinnamon eyes wide and shining with tears. Even Emma was laying still and quiet. Rose tried to imagine for a moment what it would be like to lose Ethan and the rest, and quickly decided she never wanted to live with that possibility. She could easily understand Atsuko's desire to commit suicide after she achieved vengeance.

"How can we help?" Ethan asked quietly. Rose whipped her head around to stare at him incredulously. Help? He wanted to help!

"You have done enough," Atsuko said stiffly. "I thank you for your care and hospitality, but I must go soon. The trail grows cold."

"I insist," Ethan said with a confident, caring smile. "We'll help if we can. You don't have to do this alone."

Atsuko flustered for a moment, then nodded demurely.

"Thank you," she whispered.

* * *

><p>A week later, Ethan and Brandy were in their lab. Both had old lab coats over their clothes, and Brandy had a pair of wide goggles to protect her eyes (Ethan wore his normal pair). Ethan reached around Brandy's shoulder to adjust a burner. Brandy ducked under Ethan to stir the contents of a beaker. Ethan ducked under several hanging sacks to shuffle around their crowded table, knocking glassware together with sounds like wind chimes in a tornado. Brandy's ears twitched in agitation as the table shook.<p>

"Master," she huffed. "It's too small."

"Hmm?" Ethan looked up and stared at the flame under the beaker Brandy was stirring. "Flame looks about right."

"I mean the tent."

Ethan shrugged sheepishly. "It's all we have for now. But it is a bit…crowded."

"Master, this was never meant to be a fully functional production lab. It was just to make sure the materials we collected survived the trip back to our real lab at home."

"I know, love, but have patience," Ethan said, "and mind your feelings. We must be balanced if we expect our processes to come out the way we want."

"Master, what if it was a mistake?" Brandy cried. She stirred vigorously, and the rich orange liquid began to froth. "We were getting along back at the village."

"Brandy…."

"You got hurt in that stupid gym battle because of that stupid snake!"

"Brandy—"

"And now this new girl wants to take us on some dumbass quest for revenge!"

"Brandy!"

"_What!_" The tiny Eva whipped her head up to look at her master.

"The tincture decomposed," Ethan said evenly. Brandy blinked and looked down to see that the liquid had turned a dirty brown.

"Damn it!" Brandy spat. She tore off the labcoat and goggles and stormed out of the lab. Ethan quickly extinguished all of the flames and hurried after her, tripping over jars and boxes on the floor.

"Brandy!" he shouted as he followed her bushy tail out of the tent. He burst through the canvas door to see her stomping past Rose and Atsuko at the campfire. "Brandy, wait!"

"What's going on?" Rose asked as she stood and shifted to her tauric form. Brandy had made it to the edge of their clearing.

"Stay put, Rose," Ethan said quickly. He broke into a sprint, and his longer legs helped him catch up to his alpha. "Brandy, stop!"

"No!" Brandy shouted. Ethan put on a burst of speed and threw himself forward. His leap managed to land him on top of the running Eva and sent them both tumbling over each other across the grass. Brandy squirmed and thrashed wildly, but Ethan held her around her slender waist. Eventually, she tired and curled up into a tiny, brown-furred ball.

"Sorry," she whispered repeatedly as she shook in his arms. "Sorry, sorry, sorry."

"It's fine," Ethan murmured into her ear. "No worries."

Emma and Susan approached them through the trees, but Ethan gestured for them to stay back. He held his oldest friend, his alpha, closer to him and kept whispering softly in her long ear. She shook and clutched his arm like a lifeline.

"Everything's okay, love," he reassured her. "We'll make everything okay."

Susan grew bored and returned to her rock, while Emma busied herself with sniffing at a few nearby bushes. Slowly, Brandy calmed down and pressed herself into her Master's embrace.

"Sorry, Master," she said.

"It's okay."

"No, really, I'm sorry."

"It's really okay."

"I'm so, so sor—" Ethan gently cupped her cheek in his hand and turned her head to face him. Her wide, puffy eyes were reflected in his goggles.

"Brandy," he declared firmly, "it's okay."

Brandy felt herself melt as she nodded softly.

"We'll figure something out," Ethan said. Brandy nodded again and threw her arms around his neck.

"I love you, Ethan," she purred into his chest. He held her close and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"I love you, too, Brandy," he said. Everything that had happened in the past month and a half seemed to be just part of a story as Brandy listened to her friend's—her love's—heart beat steadily, unerringly. He was a steady mountain in a shifting plain, just like he'd always been. The two laid there until the sun started to set and Rose fetched them for dinner. Brandy walked the short distance back to camp with Ethan's arm held tightly to her chest.

She was not about to let him go.

* * *

><p>Ethan had just finished packing the last bag with his lab supplies when Rose trotted up behind him.<p>

"Hey, Rose," he said. "All we have left are the provisions and the tent, then we'll be ready to go."

"We need to talk."

Ethan froze. Men have an instinct concerning certain phrases, especially when used by women. When a woman, especially one with whom a man is intimate, says that they "need to talk," no good comes of it. The man has somehow managed to anger her, and his punishment would come swiftly and without mercy. Every man knows this on an instinctual level, and Ethan was no exception.

"We do?" he looked up nervously. Rose's usually gentle face was set in a disapproving frown. Ethan's shoulders slumped as he looked around the clearing. Brandy and Emma were packing up their food. Susan was sunning herself on the flat boulder behind the tent. Atsuko was swinging her club as if it were a sword, attacking enemies she saw in her mind. Ethan had no one to distract her.

"We do," Rose said firmly. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up. With a tight grip, the much stronger Ponytaur led him to the edge of the clearing.

"Shouldn't we do this closer to the tent?" Ethan asked. "You know, where there are witnesses?"

"I don't like it," Rose said. She stopped, but still held his arm. "I don't like her, I don't like that we found her, and I don't like that you're helping her."

"Who, Atsuko?"

"Of course her!" Rose whinnied and pawed at the ground with her foot. "She's talking about hunting down two people and murdering them!"

"They killed her family," Ethan said quietly.

"Yeah? And that could be us. Did you think about that part?"

"I know it could," Ethan shot back. "But it won't."

"How do you know?"

Ethan looked up to her and just noticed that her bloodshot eyes were brimming with unshed tears. The retort he had ready died in his throat. Rose's shoulders shook as she bit her lip. Ethan cupped her cheek and smiled reassuringly.

"I know because you'll be around to keep us from doing anything stupid. We'll be fine. I promise."

"We'd better," Rose grumbled. She threw her arms around Ethan and hugged him tightly to her, burying his face in her cleavage. They stood that way, holding each other for a long while and rocking gently, until Emma came over and sniffed at them.

"We're ready to go," she said quietly. She frowned slightly, as if she sensed what had happened between them. Ethan looked up to see that everything had been packed and stowed, and that his girls were standing with their heavy packs shouldered. Atsuko stood next to Rose's fully-laden saddle, which had Ethan's own pack propped up next to it. The two quickly joined the others and strapped their respective cargo on their backs.

"Well, then," Ethan said, "let's go."

* * *

><p><strong>End of Chapter<strong>

Sorry about the long time between updates. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.


	9. The Tunnel

**Routine Expedition**

**Chapter Nine: The Tunnel**

* * *

><p>Ethan and his girls trudged into the small outcropping of buildings tucked into the foothills of the Green Mountains. The mountains, topped with white even in the late summer, loomed tightly together. The orange sun was just slipping behind the mountains, bathing the whole area in warm light. The tiny village was a waypoint, a speck on a map and the last stop before going over the single mountain pass. The single street was empty except for a single OfficerJenny and her partner walking a patrol. Ethan waved at them and earned a welcoming wave back. He took that as a good sign and led the girls into the tiny outcropping of humanity.<p>

"Look, there's a pokecenter," Brandy said, pointing at the round, red and white sign at the end of the street. "We can stay there for the night."

"It's not yet noon," Atsuko protested. "We should continue onward."

"There's a pokecenter," Brandy said with more force, turning to stare pointedly up at the Cudildo. "We can stay there for the night."

"While there is still light we can still move," Atsuko argued. "If we must rest, you have the tent."

"Hey hey," Ethan interjected. The last thing he needed right now was a fight. "We need to stop for supplies, regardless of whether or not we stay."

"Warden, I must disagree—"

"We only have a couple of days' worth of food," Ethan said. "By the time we get in here and buy the supplies we need, it'll be near enough nighttime that I don't want to go traipsing through the mountains—especially with those storm clouds hanging overhead."

Ethan pointed up at the dark, rolling mass looming overhead and waiting for any excuse to empty its heavy payload over them. As if on cue, thunder rumbled down and Ethan waved his arms to emphasize his point. Atsuko looked up at the clouds and then back to Ethan, her expression hidden behind her bone mask. After a long, uncomfortable silence, she sighed.

"Very well." Ethan stared at her a minute, his eyebrows scrunched together over his goggles.

"Good," he said. "Now then, we'll go ahead and try to sell some product while we're here."

* * *

><p>Business was as bad as the weather was quickly becoming. Swirling winds threw fat raindrops against the pokecenter windows with sharp slaps. Ethan and his girls had ducked into the pokecenter as the first drops fell like the scouts of an invading army. They weren't alone—a tiny blond girl who looked to be half Ethan's age was in the corner, huddled under a heavy blanket with a Charamanda, as evidenced by the red skin and the small but steady flame on the tip of her tail. Next to them was a bear of a young man, bald with a long scar across his nose. A tiny winged pokegirl with a violet mane of hair was perched on his shoulder.<p>

Ethan had gotten them a room for the night, but decided that he wanted to stay in the main lobby for a while and see what he could find out about the area. Emma wanted to use the opportunity to send another letter to her mother, and Brandy never liked being far from her master. Rose was still angry at Atsuko, who had declared that she was going to find a place to train. The cold air brought about by the storm outside left Susan feeling sluggish and lazy, and they had left her coiled up on the bed in their room, next to the small heater.

Ethan was talking to the red-haired Catgirl behind the desk about the safest way through the mountains to Galveston. She'd told him that the only way on land was a marked trail that twisted and turned between the mountains. It was a five-day trip but well-maintained and protected by machines that repelled pokegirls. Ethan thanked her and rejoined his girls to share the news with them.

"Doesn't sound so bad," Brandy said gently, glancing nervously from Rose to Ethan and back as if she was worried they'd start an argument.

"If it's the only way to go, we don't have much choice," Rose said. "Unless one of us suddenly sprouts wings."

"That's the way to go," Ethan said firmly. "We'll stay here tonight, stock up tomorrow, and be on our merry way. Any arguments?"

"Sounds good," Brandy said quickly. Rose took a bit longer with her reply and glanced at the door that led to the small dojo at the back of the pokecenter.

"Fine," she said.

"Master!" Emma yipped as she jumped into his lap and hugged him tightly. The tension Rose was generating disappeared almost immediately as the hyperactive Growlie grinned at her. "Momma's doing good! And Daddy's tripping over himself trying to find something to do now that he doesn't have us to be mad at."

Ethan smiled gently and scratched behind her ear. She leaned into him and smiled wide enough to show off her molars, her tail loudly thumping against the arm of the chair. Brandy leaned over to lay her head on Ethan's arm and sighed contentedly. They stayed like that for a while, none of them (especially Ethan) tired enough to sleep. The two other tamers had started up a conversation and apparently had no intention of keeping it to themselves.

"Can you believe it's five days through the mountains?" the girl whined loudly. The man shrugged.

"It's either that or go through the Tunnel," he said. "Three days isn't worth that."

"What?" the Charamanda tilted her head to the side and hugged her tamer closer. "What's not worth three days?"

"You're not from around here, so you wouldn't know," the man said slowly. "The Tunnel used to be the main path to Galveston. They dug it through the mountains about twenty years ago as a way to increase traffic through the town. It worked, for a while, but they didn't know what was sleeping there."

The two girls held each other closer together. Brandy pressed herself onto Ethan's arm, and Emma's ears drooped.

"What—what was it?" the blonde asked, trying and failing to hide the fear in her voice.

"Something dark. Something dangerous. Something that has made it so that no one who's entered that tunnel in the last fifteen years has come out."

"No one?"

"Not a single soul. People would go in, headed to Galveston, but then their folks would call and ask why they hadn't arrived. No one would come to us through the Tunnel. Sure as hellfire, something was stopping anyone that went through the Tunnel. That's why they built that other trail, so we can still get across the mountains. But, to this day, something is still in that Tunnel—waiting for someone stupid enough to try rushing through it."

"R-really?" the blonde squeaked. Her Charamanda was shaking visibly, the flames on her tail seeming no brighter than a candle.

"Ah, nuts," Ethan said suddenly. Brandy's ears twitched and she looked up.

"What is it?" she asked. Ethan pointed towards the entrance of the pokecenter. Brandy followed his finger to see Toby, the greenhorn tamer from Trail's End, enter, with his Boobisaur following him closely. They were both a bit worse for wear—their clothes were dirty and torn, his hair looked like it had been singed off on one side, and her right side and arm had obvious burn scars.

"Don't draw attention to us," Ethan whispered. "We'll try to sneak back to the room and Emma get back here!"

The oblivious Growlie had jumped up as soon as she recognized them and bounced over happily to sniff at the Boobisaur.

"Hi there!" she barked, tail wagging wildly. Toby and his pokegirl jerked back in surprise.

"What the—you!" Ethan groaned as Toby suddenly recognized him and thrust a finger at him imperiously. "I've been looking for you!"

"I haven't been looking for you," Ethan said. He stood and whistled. "Emma, come on. Time to go."

"I'm not done with you!" Toby bellowed as Emma reluctantly padded back to her owner. Rose and Brandy stood as well and smoothed out their clothes. They all turned down the corridor that led to the rooms, and Toby roared at them, "Get back here! You're my rival!"

"Good night, Toby," Ethan called over his shoulder as they disappeared around the corner.

* * *

><p>After breakfast the next morning, Ethan and his girls were gathered around the edge of the large bed in their room.<p>

"A week!?" Atsuko demanded. Ethan shrugged helplessly.

"Last night's storm caused a mudslide that blocked the path around the mountain," he repeated the words he'd overheard from the police early that morning. "An earthmover team was sent from Galveston a few hours ago, but it'll take them a week to get through."

"So we're stuck here," Brandy groaned. Emma fidgeted on the bed.

"What about the Tunnel?" she asked. "The one those Tamers were talking about yesterday."

"The haunted one?" Rose quirked an eyebrow at the young Growlie.

"Yeah!" Emma yipped. "That one!"

"The haunted one that no one who's entered has come out of for fifteen years?" Brandy asked, looking up from Emma to Ethan.

"Uh-huh!" Emma nodded happily. Ethan shook his head.

"Those are just stories," Atsuko said firmly. "We must continue onwards."

"What's wrong with waiting a week?" Rose demanded, glaring across the bed at Atsuko. The Cudildo crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.

"If you are frightened," Atsuko spat, "I will go alone."

"Fine, then!" Both Atsuko and Rose stood angrily.

"No," Ethan barked. They froze and turned to him. "Both of you sit." They did, slowly, grumbling. "Now then. Atsuko, I said we'd help you, and we will. Rose, we're helping her. You and I'll talk later."

"Yes, Master," Rose grumbled. Atsuko nodded solemnly.

"Now," Ethan said, turning to address his entire harem. "I say we go on through the Tunnel. Ah-ah! I'm not finished. We go through the Tunnel. The rumors are most likely just that—rumors. It's a two-day journey and we can certainly take on or run away from any Ferals we find. We'll take every precaution we can. Are there any objections?"

Rose's hand was in the air immediately, followed slowly by Brandy's. Ethan clenched his teeth but quickly hid his surprise.

"Brandy, Rose," he said quietly, "we'll speak in private. Atsuko, Emma, Susan, unless I say otherwise, assume that we'll leave for the Tunnel at noon."

Atsuko and Susan excused themselves, the former stating that they would find somewhere to train. Emma ducked into the bathroom, and the sound of the bathtub faucet thundered through the open door. Ethan closed it behind her and muffled the sound.

"Okay, Rose," he said, turning back to the angrily champing ponytaur, "you first."

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" she snorted and pawed at the thin carpet. "You said we wouldn't be doing anything stupid for her!"

"I know," Ethan said, keeping his voice low and even. "You heard her, though. She would have gone off on her own. We can't—I can't let her do that."

"Why the hell not!?" Rose threw her arms wide. "Let her go! What happened to 'I'm just a businessman'? To 'I don't want to get into fights'?"

"That's still true," Ethan tried to stay calm, but three years of living together meant that Rose knew exactly what buttons to press.

"How!? She's trying to kill someone—from the sound of it, someone a lot stronger than all of us. If we try to help her, all of us—your family—will die."

"Do you think I don't know that?"

"I wonder!"

"Rose!" Brandy suddenly shouted.

Ethan snapped his mouth shut, his angry response stuck in his throat. Rose blinked in confusion and they both turned to look at Brandy. The tiny Eva had her hands balled into fists, her ears raised and the mane of light tan fur around her neck bristling as she tried to make herself look bigger than she was.

"But Brandy—"

"Shut it!" Brandy growled at the much larger Ponytaur. "You've said your bit. Now stand there and keep quiet."

Rose stepped back, more surprised than anything at her usually-demure Alpha's sudden harsh tone. Ethan was stunned silent as well, but that only seemed to incense Rose again. She was half a second away from turning back to shout at her suddenly reckless tamer when Brandy turned and got to him first. Rose crossed her arms across her chest, waiting to see if her Alpha would take her side.

"Ethan." Brandy's voice was polite, but carried a low tone that threatened violence if she didn't hear an answer she liked. "Please explain why you feel the need to help a random stranger we found in a bush."

"I…it's…I just do."

"You 'just do'?" Brandy parroted incredulously. That was obviously not the right thing to say. "Do you think she's prettier than us, then? That she'll be a better pokegirl, or a—a better apprentice?"

"What? You know that's not it!"

"Then why?" Ethan was silent for a long while, and Brandy grew impatient. "Well? Tell us."

"Because she's like us!" Ethan finally said. Brandy and Rose stared at him.

"Master," Rose began, but fell silent when Brandy shot her a glare.

"Ethan," Brandy said slowly, "she's hell-bent on killing someone. How is she like us?"

"I know that," Ethan said. "It's just—the reason she's like that is because she lost everyone she loved. Everyone, killed right in front of her."

"That's her problem," Brandy huffed, looking away.

"It was our problem once, too," Ethan almost whispered. Brandy stiffened, the fur on her neck rising. "Mom, Dad, Aunt Lita, your parents. We lost all of them, remember?"

"How could anyone forget something like that?" Brandy whispered. Ethan wasn't sure if she even meant to say it aloud, and Rose was wisely staying silent. He decided to keep going.

"We had each other and the staff at the ranch. You remember how much that helped? Atsuko has no one. She's not even on her home continent. She doesn't have anyone to help her. Not a single person."

"She's still—I—I guess I can see that," Brandy admitted.

"We can help her," Ethan said slowly. "I don't even mean with her…quest. Just, we can be there for her. Make sure she knows she isn't alone. Backup—support—just be there if she needs us."

"I…okay, fine," Brandy huffed. She jumped forward and hugged him tightly. "But if you do anything like this again, I swear I'll make sure there won't be an Ethan Warden the Eighth."

"Noted," Ethan said as he hugged her back. He glanced up to see Rose pawing at the floor in agitation. He raised an eyebrow as if to ask her opinion.

"If Brandy's okay," she grumbled, "then I guess I am, too."

Ethan wasn't sure about that answer, but he decided that it would have to be enough.

* * *

><p>Ethan, his girls, and Atsuko stood at the entrance to the Tunnel. It was a simple semicircular hole in the mountain, thirty feet wide and half that tall. The walls and ceiling were lined with concrete, and a few faded signs were nailed to either side of it. If it weren't for the bright orange "DANGER—KEEP OUT" tape forming a fluorescent spider web over the dark entrance, they'd think it was any old, poorly kept hole in a mountain. They stood there, waiting for a ghost, or a feral pokegirl, or even some obnoxious kids to jump out and shout "Boo!", but nothing happened.<p>

"Well," Rose said. "This is anticlimactic."

"Just a local urban legend." Ethan shrugged and adjusted the straps on his pack. Atsuko suddenly strode forward. A swing of her club tore down the "DANGER" tape, and she was swallowed by the shadows in the Tunnel. Ethan sighed and marched after her. He looked back and said, "Come on. Let's make sure she doesn't hurt herself."

His girls quickly followed him into the almost worryingly-normal Tunnel. Despite the bright sunlight outside, the inside of the Tunnel quickly darkened. Brandy and Rose both lit lanterns so that they could see, and Ethan pushed his goggles up on his forehead. They quickly caught up to Atsuko and flanked her, all marching down the straight, seemingly infinite Tunnel.

"They'd already put the lights in," Brandy said and pointed at the caged fixtures along the ceiling.

"They probably decided not to waste the power if no one goes through here," Rose said. They didn't speak again for a while, and the only sounds were their footsteps and the steady clip-clop of Rose's hooves.

Emma was miserable. She couldn't see more than fifty feet in front of her; the concrete walls made the tiniest noises echo until they sounded like thunderclaps; and on top of everything, the whole place stank of dirt and mold and decay. They'd been walking for hours, and she was starting to wonder if they were making any progress at all. Emma glanced behind her, but she could just barely see the tiny pinprick of light that was the entrance.

She whined softly and her tail hung limply behind her. It would be this bad if they were outside. At least there she could look around and smell all the different things around her. Emma began to wonder if the real reason that no one used the Tunnel was that it was just. So. Boring. Not a single thing jumped out to scare them, or even rattle chains or groan or any of the things ghosts did. The orange-furred girl was so busy moping that she didn't notice as Ethan slowed his pace a bit until he was walking next to her.

"How're you doing, Emma?" he asked gently. Emma sucked in a deep breath.

"It's cold, it's dark, I can't smell anything but mold and death, Rose didn't brush my hair this morning, and I'm _bored_!"

Ethan chuckled gently. "Patience, puppy. We'll be out of her tomorrow, and then I'll brush you all over."

Emma pouted at him, her golden eyes shining in the low light. "Promise?"

Ethan patted her head. "Promise."

Emma beamed at him and hugged him tightly. Her tail wagged happily and they nearly fell over. Before Ethan could completely lose his balance, the hyperactive Growlie let him go and bounded to the front of the group.

"C'mon!" she said cheerfully. "There's Brushies at the end of this tunnel!"

* * *

><p>Another couple of hours passed before there was any change in the Tunnel. The uniform concrete-lined walls suddenly gave way to a huge open area. A steady drip drip echoed all around the cavern, and the lights from their lanterns shined on the slick stalagmites that rose like stone fingers from the floor. The walls of the cavern were just barely visible, glittering with colored bands of rock.<p>

"Wow," Brandy summed up their feelings in one word. They stood and looked at what they could see of the cavern in awe.

"The diggers must've stumbled on this by accident," Ethan said. He pointed at the ground in front of him. The concrete floor of the tunnel continued, with rubber pads and metal safety rails at the edges to keep people from falling off. "They came in and decided it'd be a nice scenic break, so they just went right on through to the other side."

"Still," Brandy said. "It's pretty."

Susan, who had been quietly following at the back of the group, slithered forward and pressed herself to Ethan's back.

"It's cold," she hissed in his ear and squished her soft breasts against him. Her tail wrapped around his legs and squeezed tightly. "You're warm."

"Hey now, there'll be time for that later," Ethan said gently as he tried to pry her tail off. She reluctantly let go and the group continued their march. Atsuko boldly led the group, followed by Rose and Emma. Ethan and Brandy fell in behind them, with Susan trailing at the rear, sluggish in the cool cavern. Ethan wondered to himself at the different geologic formations he could see. The light from the lanterns, though barely enough for most humans to see more than a few meters, was plenty for him to examine the glistening stalagmites they passed. It was that sensitivity that allowed him to spot the faint flicker of movement about twenty meters away. His mouth set in a grim line, he quickened his pace until he was next to Emma.

"What do you smell?" he asked quietly. She sniffed the air a few times, eyes closed in concentration. Despite her usual silly antics, the Growlie was dependable and serious when she needed to be.

"Water, rocks, us," she said finally.

"Nothing else?" Ethan asked.

"That's all I smell," Emma confirmed with a frown. Rose noticed their hushed conversation and leaned over.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"I thought I saw something move," Ethan said and cast a quick glance to the side. "Off to the right. Couldn't see it very well."

"We're in a cave at the heart of a mountain," Rose said. "Not many pokegirls could live down here."

"And I'd rather not have to deal with the ones that could," Ethan said. "Keep your guards up. I'd rather us be paranoid for a while than dead a long time."

Emma and Rose nodded, and Ethan stepped back to fill in Brandy and Susan. As he did, he looked up to Atsuko, who still fearlessly led the group with long, confident steps. Her club was slung carelessly over her shoulder, and her gaze didn't seem to waver from the path ahead of them. Personally, he both admired and feared the single-mindedness of a Cudildo. She wouldn't stop until either her target was dead or she was. Atsuko wouldn't care if something happened to Ethan or his girls. He doubted she would even wait for them if one needed to so much as tie their shoes. He sighed to himself and wondered if he really knew what he was doing when he offered to help her. Maybe he should have listened to Rose and let her go. Helping her would only get them trouble in the end.

"Master!"

Ethan looked up just in time to see the rock flying towards his face. He had no time to react, other than to screw his eye shut a split-second before the projectile collided with his cheek with a sick crack. Pain shot across his face like lightning and he fell to the concrete path. He just barely heard several heavy thumps over the bass throbbing in his ears and saw that his girls had dropped their packs. Rose reared onto her hind hooves, her forelegs kicking out at the shape that was climbing over the safety rail at the edge of the path. Smoke poured from Emma's muzzle as she readied a flamethrower. Brandy crouched down and was gently prodding at Ethan's cheek.

Before anyone could do anything, though, Susan surged forward like a released spring, smashing into the pokegirl's chest just as her feet hit the path with the heavy crack of stone on concrete. They tumbled together, over the railing and onto the cavern floor. Susan quickly wrapped her tail around the feral, pinning her arms and legs, and tried to bite down on her neck, but the tough, rocky skin stopped her fangs cold.

"Wha—what's?" Ethan tried to sit up, but Brandy held him down. She was craning her neck, aiming her lantern to try to see what was happening. Emma leaned over the rail, but growled in frustration.

"I can't fire without hitting Susan," she complained, looking back to Ethan for orders. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it, but that only made the thunderous pain worse. Rose saw this and started talking into Emma's ear at a volume Ethan couldn't detect. Rose leapt over the railing to help Susan, and Emma ran further up the path, where Atsuko was standing and staring back at Ethan with a frown. Brandy helped Ethan sit up, and they both watched the fight with the Feral.

Susan was worried. She had the Feral pinned, true, but the girl was struggling as hard as she could and Susan could just barely hang on. And if that weren't enough, none of her other attacks even made a scratch in the Feral's tough stone armor. All she could do was hold tight and roll across the stone floor a bit.

The Feral girl roared inarticulately and jerked hard, nearly dislodging Susan. Over her own strained hiss, the naga heard the steady clip clop of hooves on stone, and looked up to see Rose trotting towards them. She stopped, just out of striking range, and looked down to the stone pokegirl wrapped tightly in Susan's coils.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked. Susan snorted.

"Unhurt," she said. "But can't hurt her." Rose looked around them, then suddenly leaped over the pair and cantered away.

"Over here!" she called. Susan looked up and saw the ponytaur splashing her hooves in a shallow pool. Faint memories of being drilled on tactics by her previous tamer flashed in her mind, and she instantly figured out Rose's plan. Quickly, she started rolling with the still-struggling feral pokegirl wrapped tightly in her coils. Rose jumped out of the way and they splashed into the pool. Why didn't the horse say it was so cold!? The Feral screamed as if the icy water were acid, but Susan didn't fare much better—already feeling sluggish from the cold of the cavern air, the muscles in her tail spasmed as if she were being stabbed all down her length with icicles. The Feral managed to slip from her grasp, but was preoccupied with thrashing wildly in the water.

Rose surged forward and gave the Feral a hard kick to the head, then another, and another, until she fell face-down in the pool. Susan hissed in pain—the world seemed to slow down as a pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her from the pool. They were soft, but strong and most importantly _warm_! Quickly she tugged her tail up to wrap around this source of heat, a familiar but unintelligible voice echoing in her ears.

"What happened?" Brandy asked as Rose jumped back over the rail with Susan coiled around her tightly, but not so much that she hindered movement.

"That Feral won't bother us again," Rose said. She gently pried Susan off of her and lowered herself next to Brandy and Ethan. Susan immediately coiled between all three of them as best she could, trying to press as much of her cold skin and scales to their warm bodies as she could. Rose sighed and looked down at Ethan. "How's Master?"

"I'm okay," he said quickly. Rose gently prodded at the right side of his face, which had turned a nasty shade of violet and had swollen to easily double its original size, and he flinched away with a pained grunt.

"The bitch broke his cheekbone," Brandy muttered darkly.

"We can—ow!—we can deal with it later," Ethan said, wincing when talking brought about more pain. "I want to find somewhere secure to rest. Come on."

The girls quickly shouldered their packs and continued along the path. The whole time, Rose glared death at Atsuko's back.

* * *

><p>At the other end of the cavern, the Tunnel returned in all its lackluster sameness. Ethan's girls all were showing signs of fatigue, though only Emma was openly complaining about it as she leaned heavily on Rose's flank. With rest on all their minds, they were thrilled to find what had once been a rest stop combined with gift shop not a hundred yards after they exited the cavern.<p>

Camp was set up efficiently, due to the mutual desire not to do more work than necessary. With no firewood, they settled for leaving a lantern on the concrete floor between the entrance and the single module of the tent they had set up. Dinner was a quiet, mechanical consumption of dried foods, and would have been entirely uneventful if not for the glares of doom rose was shooting at Atsuko. For her part, Atsuko ate swiftly, ignoring the others, and quickly stood.

"I will take first watch," the Cudildo declared and moved closer to the door. As soon as her back was turned, rose stuck out her tongue in a childish display of distaste. Satisfied, she turned to Ethan and tried to ignore his admonishing stare. They had treated his broken cheekbone the best they could, but he still winced with every bite.

"I think I'll spend the night in my pokeball, Master," she said. He continued to stare at her, his eyes shining in the light of the lantern.

"Me too," Emma yawned and stretched her arms over her head.

"Okay," Ethan finally said. Two flashes of red later, the Ponytaur and the Growlie were both safely ensconced in their respective balls. Brandy and Susan each took one of Ethan's sides and draped themselves over him with sultry grins.

"Massster…," Susan whispered. Her forked tongue flicked out to graze over his ear. "It's still cold. I need…warming up.'

"Do you now?" Ethan asked with an amused grin. Brandy nuzzled his shoulder and tugged at his shirt. Ethan looked down at her. "I suppose you do, too?"

Brandy shook her head gently. "Not just yet. Susan deserves a reward for saving you earlier. I'll stay out here and keep watch."

"You sure, love?" Ethan asked. Brandy pushed him towards Susan.

"Go on and get in the tent before she tears your clothes off. Again."

Chuckling, Ethan stood and brushed some imaginary dust off his dark clothing. Susan rose and eagerly led the way into the tent, flicking the tip of her tail the way a woman would beckon with her finger. Ethan followed her and zipped the flap shut behind him. He looked up just in time to see Susan pull the thin tube top that was her only article of clothing over her head. Even with his sensitive eyes, the near-complete darkness inside the tent meant he could just barely make out Susan's powerful curves as she stretched lazily.

"I want you, Master," she said as her tail pressed against his back and knocked him onto his knees with a grunt. He quickly shucked his clothes, tossing them into a corner of the tent, and lowered himself onto Susan. She made a pleased hiss and wrapped her tail snugly around his legs and torso. "You're so warm…."

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked, already knowing the answer as he leaned in to nip lightly at her neck. He'd learned several of her weak spots since their initial taming, and he intended to make full use of them. Susan ran her fingers through his hair as he growled and tugged sharply on her ear with his teeth. She squeezed him almost unnoticeably more tightly and then slowly started to relax and constrict her tail in sections, forming a ripple of pressure over her tamer's body. He grabbed her wrists and roughly pushed them down, pinning them to the cushioned floor over her head. She pouted and gave a mock struggle—not nearly her full strength, but enough to at least look like she was putting up a fight. Ethan leaned in and dragged his teeth over her neck, his hot breath playing over her the sensitive olive skin. Carefully he shifted his hands so one held both her wrists down and freed the other to graze his fingernails over her side. She arched her back and hissed in a sharp breath that deepened into a throaty moan when he roughly squeezed one of her firm, round breasts.

"Ha!" Susan suddenly twisted, pulling her arms free and rolling on top of Ethan. Her tail still held him captive, and her hands gripped his forearms tightly. He could just barely see the hungry grin as she licked her lips. She leaned in and licked his ear, teasing over the curves of it with her forked tongue. "You're mine now."

Ethan growled at her and winced as pain shot across his face. Susan immediately stopped and leaned in close.

"It hurts?" she asked. Ethan gingerly shook his head.

"I'm okay. It's nothing," he said. She stared into his eyes before grinning again and dragging her claws over his bare chest. He shivered under her and struggled feebly to free his hands. Her grin widened as she felt his cock stiffening between her coils.

"I do that?" she asked teasingly. Ethan groaned as she squeezed it gently and released him to shift her grip. He took advantage of the movement and managed to roll over again, pinning Susan's hands down as he lined himself up and swiftly thrust into her. She screamed out in pleasure at the sudden penetration, arching her back almost impossibly far. He grinned at her and leaned in, biting her breasts roughly, leaving quickly-darkening marks all over the olive skin. Her passage was tight, warm, and wet, and pulled him in deeper with rhythmic contractions. Susan hissed in pleasure and dragged her claws down his back, leaving a set of angry red lines. He made powerful thrusts, driving into her with dominating force.

"That's right my little pet," Ethan said as he pounded into her. "You're my little toy, aren't you?"

"Yes, Master!" Susan bucked her hips up to meet his thrusts. "Fuck your pet!"

Ethan bit down on her shoulder with a growl and she stiffened, orgasm crashing over her like a tsunami and leaving her a twitching mess. Still he pistoned his length into her, feeling her tight channel grasping at him until he finally joined her in carnal bliss. The feeling of his hot seed shooting deep inside her kicked Susan over the edge of another wave of pleasure. Her eyes screwed shut as heat and tingling spread from the end of her nose to the tip of her tail, rippling in waves. Finally, breathless and half numb from the pleasure, she coiled tightly around her Master and laid his head on her sweat-slicked breasts. He was panting from effort, but still nuzzled her orbs, which seemed a bit bigger than she remembered. Susan paid it no mind and settled in for a few hours' sleep when everything suddenly went very wrong.

First, he stiffened. Then, he started to shake, wildly jerking in her coils. She immediately released him to see he was spasming on the floor of the tent. Everywhere that she had touched him had turned an angry blotchy red, and acid green foam was gushing from his mouth. Susan looked down at herself and realized what had happened. She had evolved.

And then she had poisoned her Master.

* * *

><p>So... Shit happened. Six months is a very short time.<p> 


End file.
